Blindman's Truth
by Vivious Circle
Summary: Her sorrow flows like a flooding river, her anger burns like wildfire and her hate... Nothing will stand in her way once she learns to hate.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Part I: „The Soothsayer"

**Prolog**

Ciriane left her house fuming with irritation. She shut the doors loudly and kicked an innocent bucket unfortunate enough to be left on her way to a curved gate leading out her family estate grounds. They wouldn't tell her! She did everything: cleaned her room, been polite all day and even baked a cake! Well… actually she _tried_ to bake a cake but it's the intent that counted, right? All these hardships she endured, struggling the entire day without a minute of rest and all her parents simply said was that she was too young for such stories. By Corellon, she was almost sixty! All other students of her age must have heard this story by now or could, if they only wished to. But of course she wasn't even allowed to ask around. Not that there was anyone to ask - the events took place nearly a century ago, but it would be nice to have a choice! She shook her head sending her gray-blonde hair flying out of her braid, the ribbon that kept the hay-like mess in a pretense of order falling on the grass. Her teachers weren't any better. They have only one answer for all her questions: 'you don't learn hard enough, if you have time for such useless stories'. As if everything could be solved with learning book after book, filled with nonsense spells like evoking warts, enchanting useless crystals not to break, or divinations!

But… Ciriane stopped finally considering what she just thought. Yes… it would work. A clever smile appeared on her face removing the frown. In this case studying could become handy, though she couldn't believe herself thinking this. If there was something she was good at it was the Divination class, her only real flair. She has been praised few times for her natural talent, but never thought to use her spells outside the Academy. Her grin widened when she realized this way she wouldn't break her parents' ban on asking questions about the topic. She couldn't believe her own intelligence. No one mentioned using magic – parents couldn't hold a grudge against her, and she'd be learning – teachers shouldn't have any problems either. Her plan was genius! ...

…but had few flaws. The young would-be mage began to circle her house waiting for another sudden enlightenment. Components of the spell wouldn't be a problem to get, but she needed to know the precise time and place of the beginning of the event – the rest should continue easily. There were many sources of information in historical archives, only problem being that there were hardly two of them that had at least some vague resemblance to each other. The war could have started in freezing winter of Alturiak or burning summer of Flamerule - possibilities were endless. She would have to do some digging. Cirine nodded, plan slowly formulating in her head. Next, she needed a personal item belonging to the person she would hook her spying spell to. That was harder to overcome. Finding an item used by the famous heroes throughout all of their adventures more than a hundred years ago seemed as probable as a meteor falling down from the sky to drink some tea with her. They changed armor, they changed weapons… Not all weapons, she realized. There was one sword they always carried with them! And she even knew where it was stored!

Her train of thought was stopped rapidly by appearing of her father, walking hurriedly in her direction. She quickly removed any trace of self-satisfaction from her face and made her best to look at least a little cross when he approached. She wasn't much of an actress, but father didn't seem to notice anything suspicious.

"Ciriane! Here you are, child." He handed her a cloak, her favorite pink one, which he always insisted for her to wear, even despite the nice weather. "Mother's been worried sick about you. You can't just run away like this" he put a hand on her shoulder and Cirine redoubled her efforts to look innocent. "I know it's important for you to hear this story, but it isn't a fairy tale and you should wait until you grow up to hear it. I and mother do it for your own good."

"I understand dad" Ciriane beamed a perfect 'innocent child' smile. "I will wait."

She waited patiently for nearly ten days preparing to realize her plan. She even broke her record in staying in library of the Academy. Not that it was overly difficult – she usually couldn't stand in place for more than ten minutes, but her newest research absorbed Ciriane completely. She was gathering the components, checking the dates and additionally planned how to transport everything to her room without anyone noticing. The sword was literally the biggest problem and she had to extend her interests to Illusions and Invisibility spells at least for the next few lessons in the Academy, earning few surprised praises from her teacher. Her carefully built reputation of a slacker, who only got to the Academy because one of her parents was a gifted mage, was seriously injured, but Cirine knew she wouldn't have any problems with rebuilding it later.

She picked the night with full moon as the most favorable to seeing the past. She set a date, which she honestly thought was the right one, and the position – the City of Coins, Athkatla, was agreed to be the place where the adventure began.

On the tenth day the elven girl waited impatiently till the midnight. She said a prayer to Sehanine Moonbow, her patron, also known as the Lady of the Dreams, who would certainly help her tonight, or at least Cirine hoped she would. The incantation of the divining spell wasn't an easy one and didn't guarantee success, but mystic words flowed easily, if a bit carelessly from the girl's mouth. Word by word she hastily exclaimed the memorized verses, her voice only quivering a little. The spell was a more powerful version of the one used at classes and contained the information about the location and time of divination, much further in past than she ever practiced. When it was nearly complete the young elf carefully touched the blade of the sword, its pommel gem and the hilt. She felt a weave of sadness washing over her, rising like a tide. Tears streamed from her eyes and she couldn't stop herself from shaking. An ancient magic of the sword, now extinguished, left its mark on the ornate weapon, like a deep scar full of feelings, but despite being dazzled by the spell Ciriane distinguished more positive emotions accompanying the blade with its many past owners: a sense of duty solid as a mountain, unbreakable will to protect the People, Evereska and… and the vision faded. White flashes of light sparkled and disappeared around her before she noticed what they were.

She shrugged off the feeling of making a biggest mistake of her life. It was, after all, the way this spell was supposed to work. She hid the sword under the bed and left the mess made by the leftovers of the spell components – she would clean it up in the morning. Covering herself with a quilt embroiled with tiny pink flowers and shutting her eyes tightly, she was determined to learn all she could about the Bhaalspawn Wars, the mysterious and evil Shattered One, treacherous priestess of a dead god and the adventurers saving the Realms in name of everything good and righteous.

Ciriane's favorite story came to her in a dream.


	2. The Bad Beginnings

„**The Bad Beginnings"**

What could be described as a typical athkatlan day was usually quite stunning for anyone apart from a colorful mix of people commonly known as the Amnians. The heat of the south combined with sultry atmosphere of the city, which main income always was and would be trade, was unbearable to any Northerner visiting Athkatla for the first time. In spite of the clouds covering the sun in the moment it wasn't a pleasant place to be for Xan, standing in the middle of the busy Government District. It wasn't nice for Daria either, even though it felt like heaven compared to the horrors and torments of the dungeon she was locked in for gods knew how much time.

A morose expression on the enchanter's face was replaced with the one of surprise for a split second at the sight of a haggard group standing before him. He recognized Jaheira, the druidess holding a simple wooden quarterstaff instead of the magic one she wielded before, her armor also replaced by something only barely resembling protective covering. Beside her stood Minsc, pointing his hamster in direction of the elven mage, with his equipment in even worst condition than that of the half-elf. The oriental-looking man Xan did not recognize. The fourth member of the group was clad in a dark cloak and worn a hood over a face, but from the height and posture he guessed it could be Daria, his former student.

"What are you doing here?" he asked before he realized how it sounded. Not the best question to ask a group he hasn't seen for over four months. It felt like if he tried to run away from them and he didn't. He left because he had his duties, and it had nothing to do with any Bhaalspawn.

"The gloomy elf returns!" Minsc shout scared away few pigeons from a nearby tree. Boo added a squeak to mark his presence.

"Xan. It's good to see you" the voice from under the hood was definitely Daria's but it sounded strange. Something was wrong, though he could barely sense it. Something in her aura, or in the Spirit itself?

"Daria? Is that you?" he came closer and tried to see her face. Jaheira standing by her side looked as if she was to protest, but hesitated.

"The very same" Daria removed her hood. She forced a smile. The left side of her face was almost completely covered in burn marks.

He stared. He knew he did, but couldn't help it. Daria was as good-looking as most of his kin, with light brown skin characteristic to most of the sun elves and chestnut colored hair she usually kept in tight bun. Her smile was always drawing attention, but all he could look at now were dark shades under her swollen eyes and the red skin covered with blisters on her cheek. Such injury couldn't be inflicted in battle by a fire spell - it was precise and looked as if been dealt on purpose. It was a torture wound.

"Who did this to you?" he asked with a hoarse voice. She flinched at the question. "Where are Dynaheir, Khalid and Imoen?"

She hid her face again in the hood, but not fast enough for him not to notice tears rolling down her face. His stomach lurched in sudden dread and he shifted his gaze to Jaheira.

"Yes… Khalid has fallen" the change in always confident druid was less evident, but they traveled together for a long time, through many dire situations and he never saw the stoic half-elf resigned and forlorn, though she tried to cover it under a mask of her usual strength of character.

"And Dynaheir too, but Imoen is still alive and she needs our help" Daria seemed to compose herself a bit, though her voice was still shaky. Through all the times he knew her only once he heard her voice sounding as weak as now. It was made for telling jokes, giggling and singing, not for expressing pain and heavy fatigue. "She has been captured by the Cowled Wizards for unauthorized use of magic. We have to get to the Government building, to the Cowled Wizards officials and somehow persuade them to release her" her voice began to shake again. She sounded as if she was clinging to the only hope she had left, but knew already it would prove false. She _never_ sounded like that before.

"Do you know how futile your task is?" Xan shook his head with resignation. Of course she didn't. "The Cowled Wizards hold a great influence on athkatlan politics. They rarely help in anyone's plights and release their prisoners rarer still. Those caught by them are considered to be lost."

Daria he knew months ago wouldn't be put off by that. The headstrong girl he knew would never agree to being defeated, she'd rather declare to everyone who listened, and to some that did not, that she would do everything to rescue a friend in need and no force in whole world can stop her.

Instead she quietly said "We will try." He sighed. Once more he was painfully reminded that there were no constant things in this chaotic life. The fact that life itself wasn't constant either didn't make him any happier.

"The Government Building is closed today, as I have already learned. A closed meeting of the Council of Six is taking place. You will have to wait until tomorrow if you even want to be let in, no matter how hopeless your query is." He had to stand in front of the building for over an hour, waiting for the guards to get bored enough to tell him why he couldn't enter.

Daria's shoulders slumped at the news. Last hours was like tearing through a hell for her. The final steps towards the freedom, towards the light, escaping from Irenicus' dungeon, a battle in the middle of Waukeen's Promenade, barely staying alive among the turmoil of the falling pieces of the destroyed northern gate – all the time she was forcing herself to make just one more step, hoping that it will be over soon. But when the dust cleared and Imoen was taken into custody for casting one simple Magic Missile spell along with their captor, who blew up half of the Promenade wall, she felt like the Gods have just found someone to vent on all their frustrations.

Yoshimo, who seemed to know Athkatla best, guided them to the place where the Cowled Wizards where supposed to have their official administrative center in the city. She realized she was deluding herself thinking that they would let go of her sister after she explained the situation. And waiting a whole day… her feet were bleeding after a recent run for life and her back was begging for mercy, but waiting seemed like abandoning Imoen to her fate – they could transport her on another side of Toril during that day!

Her legs decided to make the decision for her however suddenly giving up, and she fell to her knees. Xan and Minsc immediately hurried to her sides to support her. Unfortunately the enchanter caught her wounded arm, causing her to yelp in pain. 'Just my luck' she thought as he jumped back looking at the blood, which soaked through her robes, now staining his hand. 'What a wonderful and strong leader I make' she couldn't stop irony in her own thoughts. Irony was the last thing she had to keep her going and she knew exactly how pathetic was that.

"Don't worry about it" she said aloud answering elf's concerned expression.

"Child, you need to rest. We all do" it seemed Jaheira returned to her old habit of calling her 'child', but Daria knew the druid was right, at least with the 'resting' part. She couldn't help Imoen now and she would have to be rested if she wanted to be able to do anything tomorrow.

She nodded and turned to Xan. Only after a moment she realized he can't see her questioning look under the hood and she has to ask.

"Are you coming with us, mellonamin?" Xan taught her few basic worlds in elven along with Kivan, and she wanted to show him that she remember his lessons. She also wanted to prove herself that she can remember anything at all after what Irenicus did to her mind, but that she wouldn't acknowledge even to herself.

To her surprise the elf blushed slightly. Did she make a mistake in spelling? "I was robbed of all my possessions during the second night in here" he explained his predicament. "I'm afraid I am unable to offer any help, except a warning against sleeping in the Copper Coronet Inn."

Jaheira scowled at the mage. It was the place she was advising the party to go, before Daria decided they can't wait with contacting the Wizards.

"Don't worry my friend. Give me some time and I'll open the finest athkatlan markets for us." Xan blinked. Did she really just say that or was it only his imagination? He couldn't guess without seeing her face, but gave her an uncertain smile hoping for the former. The elven girl noticed with some relief that her legs weren't shaking anymore and carefully started walking towards the gates leading out of Government District. The oriental-looking man who stayed quiet during the previous conversation now approached the moon elf with curiosity.

"You used to travel together before, yes? Tell me…" Yoshimo began.

***

They ended up in Copper Coronet anyway. The look the innkeeper gave Xan when he entered the smelly place, resembled an ever-hungry vulture far too much for the enchanters liking, but he was too tired because of Yoshimo's questioning to make a comment. It seemed that the bounty hunter aimed to learn as much as he could in shortest possible time, probably already realizing that in this company he didn't have big chances of living to happy retirement. In exchange Xan listened to countless anecdotes about the distant land Yoshimo originated from and excitements of a bounty hunters' life. The enchanter listened only half-heartedly focusing on his friends leading the way. Minsc and Jeheira were walking on both Daria's sides ahead of them. He couldn't chase away the impression that they were there to catch her when her legs finally give up. Nothing of the sort happened fortunately and Daria walked into the inn on her own.

Before the nightfall they already had two more companions in their small group of misfits. The first one was a young woman, named Nalia, who promised to help them negotiating with The Cowled Wizards tomorrow in exchange for help in breaking a siege of her father's Keep, east from Athkatla. She claimed to have bigger chances of succeeding as a part of amnian nobility. The second addition to the team was Anomen - an arrogant priest of Helm, also noble born, looking for a band of adventurers to prove himself worthy of being knighted.

Daria left soon after acquiring place to sleep for the night. For as little money as they had, found during their escape from the dungeon, they could only afford two rooms, split between male and female part of the group. Jaheira bought fresh bandages for the few coppers they had left and went after her ward. Minsc stayed behind to fill in the rest of the team in what they were actually doing. He began with a shortened story of stopping the war in Baldur's Gate and Xan leaned over few magic scrolls that would have to make up for his stolen spellbook until he would find some better replacement. He decided to refrain from retiring to bed for now and find out how his esteemed companions got themselves in this mess.

Minsc was overdoing a little with the tale of the heroic saving the city of Baldur's Gate, but his listeners seemed to believe in his every word. Nalia looked like she was listening to a fairy tale with evil being punished and goodness triumphing against the odds, Anomen was failing horribly at looking unimpressed and Yoshimo seemed to be only barely restraining himself from making notes. Xan sighed. If this was their new party then they were all doomed.

"…and then little Daria smashed evil Sarevok with one spell and mighty Dynaheir helped her!" Another sigh escaped Xan's lips in reaction to Minsc's words. The battle was long and bloody. It was at best very far-fetched, at worst a complete lie, to say that it was ended with a single spell. His attention drifted away from the story as he saw Jaheira going down the stairs holding bloodied rags in her hands. She exchanged few words he couldn't hear with a man serving at the bar, who she apparently knew quite well. The man showed the half-elven druid a door beside the counter and she left swiftly only coming back after a minute without her load. Then she went upstairs again.

"…but we shall avenge our witch!" a shout made him blink and focus again at the berserker's story. Some of the tavern patrons glanced at them suspiciously before resuming their drinking. Nalia was crying by now. Xan noticed that Anomen was looking at the stairs as well.

"Evil mage has locked Minsc and Boo and Jaheira in cages" Minsc continued his story after additional shoulder-patting provided by Nalia and Yoshimo. "He even wanted to separate Minsc and Boo! And then he locked little Daria in a smaller cage and he was casting spells to make little Daria hurt! We shall avenge little Daria too!!!" the berserker's voice echoed through the common room again.

"Did you manage to escape from this horrible place?" Nalia seemed to overlook the fact that they were here now, not in a dungeon, though she could be fooled by the smell.

"Little Imoen freed us!" Minsc really couldn't speak quietly. "She opened the locks! But evil Irenicus caught little Imoen! And now we have to rescue her and make evil mage face righteous butt-kicking!" Series of squeaking noises stressed the speech. Xan's mind was occupied with something else. 'Irenicus? The Shattered One? The name was an elven word but could it mean that the 'evil mage' from Minsc's story was an elf?' Xan was about to ask but though better of it and decided to talk with Daria later.

"…and little Daria said it was her fault and she should have seen it coming. But Minsc and Boo know that evil Irenicus is to blame! Minsc will…"

"What do you mean 'see it coming'?" Yoshimo asked interrupting another speech about butt-kicking. "How could she predict something like this?"

"Little Daria sometimes sees things! Boo says it's pre-cog-nit-in, is that right Boo?"

"I see…" Yoshimo muttered, deep in thought.

Xan yawned. He found it hard to keep up with the conversation. He gathered his scrolls and departed to the room he shared with shifty Kara-turan, loud berserker and pompous priest. If he was lucky he would fall into reverie before any of them decide to follow his example.

He wasn't lucky.


	3. A Bureaucratic Way to Save a Friend

„**A Bureaucratic Way to Save a Friend"**

Daria's eyes closed the moment her head touched the pillow. It didn't bother her at the slightest that the bedclothes probably haven't felt the soothing touch of soup all throughout their long service in the inn. She was content with _having_ bedclothes. Jaheira probably already talked the fleas and other bugs out of bothering them. It was always good to have a druid with you when it came to vermin infested beds. Young elf's sleep wasn't an easy one though. She was fighting the feeling of being imprisoned, caged underground, away from the sky. She tried to hold on to her dreams dreading that when she'd open her eyes she would once again see only the twisted hooks and the darkness of the dungeon.

She woke up an hour before the dawn feeling relatively rested but uneasy. The first thing she noticed, was that someone changed her bandages through the night. It was obvious it was Jaheira, but Daria hoped the healer didn't do it in Nalia's presence. The red-headed girl was snoring quietly on the edge of her bed, covered with her own cloak, the dirty blanket left on the ground. It didn't look as if she was indeed as comfortable with the Slums as she pretended to be. It seemed it wasn't an easy thing to forget a four-poster bed with silken sheets.

Jaheira was asleep on the third bed. It was the first time Daria saw her not getting up before everyone else. She quietly approached the druid's bed and looked at the woman she grown to consider a motherly figure after all the perils they faced together. Most of what she knew about adventuring, about leadership, she learned either by listening to Jaheira or by mimicking her. The half-elven woman was breathing slowly, her long hair covering her face.

"I'm sorry" Daria said silently, not to disturb the Jaheira's slumber. She failed her by leading their team into a trap, not sensing the danger, but she would repay this debt. She promised herself to become stronger. To never fail the ones she cared about ever again. If only she could save what was already lost… She donned her hooded cloak, put on the gloves and soundlessly left.

Passing the corridor the girl halted before the other room the party rented. She pressed her pointed ear to the wood and listened to Minsc's snoring she didn't need her sharp senses to distinguish through the door. She smiled pitying his roommates, especially Xan with his keen sense of hearing. What were the odds of meeting him again in a city like Athkatla? And yet they met again and in a moment like that. She continued to the common room.

The Copper Coronet in the morning looked like a battlefield. Broken tables must have witnessed yet another brawl, judging by their state, and were up for another inept repair. Some of the patrons were still lying among the broken parts of furniture, supposedly drunk, hopefully not dead. Few of the tables survived and were now gathered by the wall. She made her way to one of those noticing one moody enchanter sitting on a crooked stool. He greeted her with his usual sour expression.

She sighed guessing the cause of his bad mood. "We don't have any money left to buy food." It wasn't a question, but the sad truth.

"Yoshimo went off to take care of that problem." She raised an eyebrow quizzically hearing the moon elf's answer. Then she realized she forgot about her dark hood again and asked aloud.

"What do you mean 'take care of that'?" she knew only one way Yoshimo could acquire money for their breakfast and she couldn't imagine Xan agreeing to that.

All of a sudden her eyes flashed with silver and she turned around on her heel to face the bounty hunter.

"He means, my dear friend… that I liberated some treasures from the local nobles". Yoshimo seemed taken aback a little by being caught sneaking on her. Xan smirked faintly at his discomfort. It always took some time for the new party members to get used to Daria's 'flashes'. The thief however swiftly composed himself and threw a loaded purse on the table. It immediately began to slide from the slanted surface, but Daria caught it before it hit the floor, weighting money in her gloved hand.

"It must have taken a lot of time to… acquire" she deliberately avoided the word 'steal', "…that much money. Did you have any sleep at all?"

Yoshimo gave a fake look of hurt pride. "Great Yoshimo had no problem in manifesting his extraordinary skills! Even if our berserker friend's snoring has indeed ruined my sleep."

"It seems that only the Helmite can get some rest with Minsc around" Xan gave his trademark sight. "Now that we can afford it, could we consider having something to eat?"

'Something' in Bernard the Barkeep's meaning consisted of hot whitish liquid he called soup and stale bread. Both men didn't look overly enthusiastic about the meal anymore, but Daria felt herself salivating. She had problems with holding a spoon since her hands still weren't fully functional after Irenicus' 'treatment', but she did her best to put the scolding gooey into her mouth. Hot fluid burned her tongue, but she was far too hungry to bother. Previously she was too tired to become aware of how starving she was, but now she was devouring food with all speed her damaged fingers could provide. She was hardly aware of astonished gazes she received when she finished off her loaf of bread. Even Bernard seemed be surprised to witness such enthusiasm being shown towards his meals. Yoshimo soon followed her lead, but Xan wordlessly handled his bowl to her. She muttered something what was supposed to sound thankful and attacked the helping with her spoon. To her surprise the tool rebelled against her grasp and slipped from her fingers to the ground. She stretched her fingers, which started aching by now. She bent down under the table to pick it up, but someone caught her forearm.

"Believe me - you don't want to eat with a spoon from the Copper Coronet's floor" Yoshimo let go of her hand and turned his attention back to his own soup. When she lifted her head she saw Xan looking at her hands hidden in gloves. She instinctively hid them in her cloak and momentarily cursed herself for it. She was almost certain that he wouldn't be able to make out how deformed her fingers were under the thick gloves, but hiding them was like lighting a big sign 'There's something wrong and I'm hiding it' over her head.

Whether or not he wanted to say something remained a mystery, because of a timely arrival of the rest of the team. She hurriedly made her way to the counter to order some goo for her friends.

After a morning meal their newly gathered group left the hospitable sanctuary of Copper Coronet and once more directed its steps towards the wealthier northern parts of Athkatla. All around them the city was waking up to its morning activities – traders unloading their goods, adults and children both, hurrying in everyday's routine so alien to the adventurers, thieves returning from their night escapades. Nalia was shuffling her feet – she didn't find Bernard's dishes to her taste and was slowing down every time they were passing a vegetable stand wishing for Daria to take a hint. Unfortunately the cloaked elf didn't realize her distress, determined to get to the Cowled Wizards as fast as possible.

Getting to the Council's Building was only a part of the problem and the easiest one at that. Once there they had to find the right person to approach and finding the man responsible for unauthorized use of magic in the crowd of the entire hall filled with similarly clothed men and women was a task comparable to looking for a needle in a haystack. After finding a thin nervous man named Cornelius all they achieved was receiving a handful of forms to fill in. It was where Nalia chimed in recruiting Xan and Yoshimo to signing all the papers describing everything - the reason they were here, their names, Imoen's personal information and even their last incomes. She used her family seal she wore as a ring to stamp the completed documents.

Three hours and twenty forms later they handed the signed papers to Cornelius, who now looked even more jumpy than before.

"T-thank you" the balding man stammered. "Now you only have to..."

"No!" Daria cried unexpectedly, panic creeping up her voice along with the silver glint appearing in her eyes. "Don't even try to say this! Don't!" the rest of the group looked at her puzzled.

"I'm sorry, but now you have to wait approximately six months before the plight is transferred and then another month for a judgment to be made". By now Cornelius was giving an impression of a man resigned to his fate. He seemed to get such reactions quite often. "The decision will be sent to the location mentioned in the B5 form and it is usually negative. Thank you and have a nice day". Daria couldn't decide between bursting into tears and laughing hysterically.

"I'm sorry but coincidentally I overheard that you are looking for your friend detained for illegal magic use" another man approached them as they shuffled their feet walking towards the exit. "I might be persuaded to look into this case, as a Director of Outside Magic Use Department, if you are willing to do something for me in return".

The newcomer wore the same olive green robes as Cornelius, but similarities ended at that. If arrogance could lift someone from the ground, this Cowled Wizard would be floating around in the hall without any effort. He seemed to add 'peasant' at the end of his every sentence without actually doing it.

Daria evaluated him from under her hood. She would accept help from a rhyme-speaking one-eyed ghast if it helped her to find Imoen, but she wasn't going to let him know that.

"And what would that 'something' be, mister …?" she tried to sound controlled and no more than slightly interested. Nalia tried to get her attention, pulling her arm. The hurting one of course.

"Call me Tolgieras. As I have already mentioned I take care of the magic used outside our elite organization. Just like the divination magic you used talking to Cornelius." Daria paled. She could hear Xan gulp. Minsc shifted slightly to stand between her and the mage.

"I don't intend to arrest you, worry not" the Cowled Wizard looked as if he was amused with their reactions. "I am merely curious. None of the searching enchantments covering the entire city reacted to your spell. My own private enchantments barely detected it. It was a foresight spell, is that right?" Daria nodded. He waited few seconds for her to elaborate.

"Well… I have a task that a person with your talents may find relatively easy." He covered his disappointment with her silence quickly. "But before I continue I'd like you to promise that whatever I say will not be discussed with anyone else, not even other Cowled Wizards. If you want this Imoen of yours rescued you will keep this conversation secret."

"Wh…" Anomen began before Jaheira 'accidentally' stepped on his foot and threw him a vicious look.

"We promise" Tolgieras glanced with curiosity at Daria's eyes shining silver from under the hood. "Tell me about this task."

The Cowled Wizard appeared to be losing his self-confidence for a brief moment, but composed himself swiftly. Arrogance had wonderful regenerative capabilities.

"My organization was created to protect the law-abiding citizens of Athkatla from the dangers of uncontrolled use of magical energies, as you probably already know" he began. Daria tried not to snort. "We restrict the use of magic to the indispensable minimum. However it is still frowned upon by some of the more extreme, dare I say – fanatic members of the society. Society we defend, should I add. One of such cases happened ten days ago. One of the local nobles, Valygar Corthala, famous from his hatred towards all magic-users, murdered two mages from my department and disappeared. He most likely left the city, though it wasn't confirmed. And this is where you step in. None of our spells were able to detect the murderer's current whereabouts, but a person with such _extraordinary_ divining talents shouldn't find this task difficult."

"What do you want me to do with this Valygar once I find him? I'm not a murderer." Daria interrupted.

"I didn't imply you are" Tolgieras assured, though it was painfully obvious he was lying. "Corthala must face rightful judgment for his actions. The only problem is that he cannot be found. If your divinations are able to detect him and you will bring the killer here, I will 'observe' a transgression in confining your friend and she will be released. I must warn you though – Corthala is extremely dangerous. He killed two fully trained Cowled Wizards. It is very plausible that he will attack you on sight. In this case you will have to bring his body as a proof that the deed is done."

"His entire body?" Yoshimo, more or less an expert bounty huter, seemed to be taken aback by this strange request.

"Hmm…" the mage mulled over something. "His head will suffice. You have two weeks" he added generously. Jaheira scowled.

"It will be done" Daria said simply before turning to the exit.


	4. Plans and Lessons

„**Plans and Lessons"  
**

„I have some contacts in Athkatla I can ask about this Valygar" Yoshimo livened up at the prospect of upcoming bounty hunting the moment they left the Council Building. "The best course would be to check the Corthala manor, which supposed to be somewhere in the city" he seemed to unwind more and more. "…or try to find out if he owns any properties outside the city gates. There's also a possibility that…"

"Yoshimo." Daria interrupted. They stopped near a stone fountain standing in the shade of the trees bringing them some respite from the blazing midday sun. "I appreciate your help, but it won't be necessary."

"You are going to use this magic of yours, yes?" the bounty hunter didn't appear to be offended, much more curious. "But you will need something personal belonging to a person you want to track, is that right?" he said with conviction of a person who heard every possible gossip about the matter.

"No, though it usually helps. I will manage without it." She smiled at Yoshimo's enthusiasm. "A noble with deaths of two Cowled Wizards on his conscience is distinctive enough."

"Sorry, but… I know I didn't help enough with the officials, but…" Nalia couldn't articulate herself for a moment.

"We'll go to your keep before we begin searching for Valygar. Don't worry Nalia." Daria didn't actually have to read her mind, not that she was able to do it. Messing with other's thoughts wasn't her charge. She threw a glance Xan's way.

"Are you sure this is wise? The trail must already be cold, after ten days. We shouldn't delay any more." Old habits die hard. Jaheira made a habit of questioning her every decision since the day they met.

"I can locate him". The diviner forced her voice sound more assured than she actually felt. That she also learned from Jaheira.

Nalia smiled coyly. "Do you often help people in need? Because…"

"Daria… A word, if you may?" Xan was as always there to find yet another difficulty, it seemed. She pushed back the dark thoughts and simply said: "Yes?"

"As you might have surmised by now I haven't come to Athkatla without a reason…" He began.

She hasn't. She was so used to his presence that she accepted him in the group without giving it another thought. At least the hood covered her awkwardness. But then an alarming thought occurred to her.

"Your new mission does not relate to Bhaalspawn, does it?"

"Not as such, no. I was sent here to investigate activities of a vampire coven in the city and stop it with all means necessary" he explained. Now she felt both relived and ashamed of asking a thing like that. "I will assist you in finding Imoen, but should I find any trace of the undead I…"

"…you will have my help, mellonamin" she finished. "I have a feeling we will come across them sooner than later."

"Knowing your feelings eventually turn out right I doubt it's a good thing" he sighed as usual. "It's more than likely that we'll end up dead in some forsaken underground crypt. But come. We have preparations to make, if we are to depart today."

Making preparations consisted of buying the cheapest tent they could find, a bunch of blankets and as many provisions as they could afford. And it wasn't much. Nalia lost any hint of shyness the moment Daria agreed to help her and now urged them forward claiming they can reach the de'Arnise Keep before the sunset, but she still avoided any questions about who actually attacked the stronghold, and how a small group of adventurers was supposed to be of any help. Their equipment wasn't even worth mentioning. Anomen was the only one standing out from the ragged group in his shining chainmail, supposedly brand new, and a polished shield adorned with Delryn family crest.

The team left the city through the main gates two hours after noon heading eastward. Jaheira busied herself without delay lecturing 'young Nalia' about how adventuring was a serious matter, ranting about how much she had to learn. Daria sincerely pitied the girl, keeping in mind that she was at the same position before. She got her share of druid's 'good advice' during their travels along the Swordcoast. Much of this knowledge helped her staying alive later on, though it seemed like a lifetime ago. Everything before Irenicus seemed like a different life, a more carefree and painless one.

"My lady, I would like to ask you a question if you don't mind." Anomen's voice yanked her back to the present.

"Of course. What is it?" she asked politely, though silently she added 'It better not be about the hood. Or the gloves. Or the bleeding arm.' She realized he hasn't even seen her face yet.

"This magic of yours – it's not an ordinary spell, is it? Many among the worshippers of Helm can cast divinations, but I have never seen anyone doing so without any invocations."

"It is kind of a long story and I don't want to bore you." _And I repeated it more times than I can count and I'm not up for another time, _she wanted to add, but bit her tongue.

"We have a long road before us, my lady, and I'd be happy to listen" he smiled and she was slightly shocked how handsome he could look without an arrogant smirk on his face. It seemed to be plastered to his face so far.

"Well…" 'Never start a sentence with 'well'' Gorion's voice sounded inside her head. "I was born with it, though it become stronger only recently. When I was younger I had a thing for guessing. I hardly ever lost at cards and not even Imoen could hide from me if I wanted to find her. Sometimes it was more evident and I was finishing sentences after people and generally sounded creepy, but most of the time I didn't even sense that I'm seeing something out of ordinary. But after Gorion's death – he was my foster-father, you see – I began to travel and became a leader of a party. Jaheira was stunned when I started making nonsense decisions, like leaving the roads and heading to the wilderness, except that somehow everything was working out. We were finding all sorts of treasures in least expected places. I remember when I told Imoen to climb a tree and she found a diamond hidden between the branches! You should have seen their faces!" Months ago she would laugh recalling the episode, but now she only sighed at the memory of her sister.

"It was Xan who got the idea that I may have an innate talent to divining magic. He taught me runes and spells, incantations of the foresight charms and showed me how to center my abilities. He educated me on many other areas too." Daria's gaze subconsciously wandered off to rest on the silhouette of the enchanter, marching in front of the group. She once again found herself yearning for the past – studying the elven language, learning magic, her first shared reverie. "The thing itself is barely spectacular – I see no more than quick glimpses, mostly random, sometimes future, past every now and then. I can observe hidden things and sense strong emotions from the recent past. They say my eyes flicker in silver when I use my precognition, but I really can't tell." Anomen grinned. He was dying of curiosity of how she looked, but could hardly think of the way of asking her to show her face without sounding like a complete fool.

"Thanks to Xan I know now how to use it willfully and that's how I'm planning to locate the mage-killer. At times I have some creepy dreams and it gives me horrible headaches on the long run, plus there are some other drawbacks… but it's nothing you should worry about."

Anomen tried to say something, but Daria paid him no more attention seeing Minsc drawing near. Boo was located on tall berserker's shoulder sniffing around and looking slightly agitated.

"Boo senses there are trolls on the road ahead!" the hamster's whiskers moved in approval. Nalia shifted unnervingly.

Daria hurriedly adjusted herself to the role of the leader and set battle tactics. Minsc, Jaheira and Anomen moved to the front line, spellcasters with the bounty hunter, who readied his bow, following closely behind. The elven girl muttered a muffled warning to Jaheira, to keep an eye out for the priest of Helm, preparing for their first fight together. Nalia fell under her 'jurisdiction'.

The battle-ready team cautiously advanced in direction of the foul smell becoming stronger with each step. Surrounded by the trees they only had few seconds to react as two bulky monsters leapt from their covers among the leaves, slashing their talon-like claws. Minsc parried the first blow of the bigger creature, which towered even over tall berserker, Sword of Chaos cutting through greenish skin on its forearm. The second troll was stopped in its tracks by Yoshimo's arrows and Daria's Magic Missile, before Jaheira engaged into combat.

'So far so good' thought the elven diviner extending her fingers to point the smaller troll. She was afraid her crippled hands wouldn't cope with complex and detailed gestures required to cast spells. It seemed her worst fears were unfounded. Magic Missile was a _very_ easy spell however.

The lesser of the trolls fell on the ground after particularly well-aimed blow, handed by Jaheira, its shin fractured. The wounds instantly began to regenerate, but Xan already began the Acid Arrow cantrip to end creature's life. Both healers moved to help Minsc, still battling the large beast. Unfortunately the priest of Helm, ever watchful, tripped on a tree root falling straight under its claws. Not fast enough in his heavy armor he could only watch the heavy limb falling towards his head. Jaheira blocked it literally last second, the strength of the blow breaking her wooden quarterstaff in half. The troll lost his balance giving Minsc enough time to run it through with his sword. Daria knew it's her turn now and began the same acidic spell Xan already used. It was a bit more difficult though and as she struggled to flex her fingers in final gesture merely a poof of bottle green smoke materialized. Nalia finished the troll of with blaze coming from her hands, barely gathering enough courage to come close enough to the regenerating monster.

Daria felt her friend's eyes boring through her back as she turned around. Jaheira saw her hands already and Minsc wouldn't notice that her spell went wrong, but she couldn't think of any way to explain Nalia why she failed such a simple incantation, or, even worse, giving explanations to Xan.

"How far it is to the Keep, Nalia?" she asked before anyone could say something. It was getting dark already and she didn't relish the thought of walking in darkness though a troll infested forest, even if darkness wasn't a problem for her infravision.

"I think we will be there in two hours if we hurry" young woman wasn't sure, but she was too ashamed to admit that. It was the first time she traveled to her keep on foot and she had problems assessing the distance.

Daria shook her head. "We'll set camp here. We need to be rested when we reach our destination." He gestured Minsc to set the tent and began preparing place for a fire far enough from the stinky troll corpses.

It was long after dusk when everybody except the first watch finally settled down to sleep. Jaheira had no problems in finding herself a new weapon among the fallen branches of a nearby dead tree, before heading back to the camp. Daria sat by the fire looking at the dancing flames, lost in thought. She already listened to Anomen's excuses about his floppy behavior in a fight and Nalia's tale concerning helping the poor and needy, and she was tired. She was gazing into flames feeling both warm and comfortable, but a small voice in the back of her head was shouting at her to get away from the scorching element as far as possible. She recalled that she jumped away screaming the first time Minsc lit a torch in Irenicus' prison. Her hand unconsciously wandered to the rough skin on her cheek.

The remains of the rabbit Minsc caught for a dinner littered around the campfire. It was Kivan's role to hunt their meals before. Daria offered a silent prayer to Labelas Enoreth hoping her friend was reunited with his beloved Deheriana in the afterlife. She fought the tears forming in her eyes when she summoned up the memory of their parting – only few days after defeating Sarevok he left for Shilmista, but he was not only leaving Baldur's Gate behind. He was leaving his life. And she was standing in the city gates not knowing what to say, watching her friend before he disappeared behind the horizon. 'I guess the only thing I can do is cry over the past. Since when did I become that sentimental?' the girl thought and added another prayer. 'I wish I could see Kivan one more time, if only to thank him.'

Someone sat next to her. She knew it was Xan and not because of her divinations. It was the first watch - spellcasters' time to prepare their spells. Nalia was already soundly snoring in her blanket and that left one 'suspect'.

"Take off your gloves" he said morosely as always, but with some determination, not even waiting for her to turn her face to him. Direct approach. She could deal with that.

"No." She took off her hood. His eyes darted quickly to the burn mark, after Jaheira's healing no more than an itchy reddish scar, and met her stare. He sighed.

"Daria, don't be childish. I know that something is wrong and you know well I know. I have been taught in Academy in Evereska – I'm no healer, but I know ways to treat muscles of palms to enable you casting. Hands are your primary tool as a mage. You have to take care of them, if not for your own comfort than for the sake of the group, doomed as it is."

"Jaheira had a look at them by now. She said there's nothing she can do, so there's almost certainly nothing you can either. You will have to live with your curiosity." It was uncalled for, but she badly wanted to end this conversation.

"I don't do this out of curiosity. I care. I want to help." She had nothing to answer that. She could say that she doesn't need this care or help, but not straight in his eyes. Not when he was looking at her like that.

"I don't…" she swallowed. She felt herself losing confidence. It always ended like that. She simply couldn't say 'no' to him. She slowly removed the gloves. She didn't mean it as a dramatic effect – she _couldn't_ remove them fast.

To say her hands were unsightly was like calling Irenicus not exactly a nice guy. He appeared to find pleasure in breaking her fingers, healing them back together and breaking them again and again. Only that he didn't heal them properly, not that he cared. Despite Jaheira's treatment they were still swollen and bruised, and she had problems with moving them. They looked bad.

She caught a look of horror on his face, but he quickly removed it. At least she hoped it was horror, not disgust. He took her right hand in his palms. They were shaking as he slowly began to rub down her hurt muscles without saying another word.


	5. Battle of the Keep

„**Battle of the Keep"**

Daria felt fabulous throwing spell after spell at the mass of the trolls storming below her. Her hands were no longer hurting and were almost fully flexible – she only used simple gestures mixing them with lesser incantations, but every time she attempted something more powerful she was rewarded with a flash of magic obedient to her will. For the first time she believed she was free, she had power and could use it, finally not a helpless prisoner anymore! She felt it all and more, laugher filling her chest. She could _see_. In the dungeon and later her vision was blurred and hazy, precognition blocked by mist she couldn't penetrate, created by pain and mind twisting spells. Now she began casting a fireball at the empty entrance to one of the guard towers in the keep. A strange snake-like creature appeared just in time to be bathed in flames. Daria's smile faded at the sight of death she brought upon a creature. Dying in flames… It awoken memories she wanted bury forever. She frantically searched the battle field for another enemy to focus on. She was aware of warmth in her palms, which was not only taking away the pain – it brought some peace to her mind.

Xan stayed with her though the first watch – he was the sole reason why her hands didn't hurt anymore. She couldn't believe she was resisting his help before. They didn't talk much, but she could sense tender feelings of friendship and loyalty through the elven Spirit, as he massaged each of her fingers, reviving what she thought was lost for good. When Minsc and Yoshimo took the second watch, he moved his cover near hers and she serenely fallen asleep taking comfort from the fact that he was near and that he cared.

Her dreams weren't that peaceful though, as always. She dreamt of walking through Candlekeep, but not a lively little town she remembered from her childhood. In her dream it was a dead and forsaken place. She looked around seeing a gray veil covering once blossoming flowerbeds, fountains filled with stale water and no longer colorful banners hanging from the walls. Up ahead the road a misty figure was walking towards something. Daria knew Imoen even before she saw her face. Her sister was leading her through deserted road, always few steps before her, always beyond her grasp. She was pointing familiar places, where they used to play, their little childhood secrets, but everything Daria touched was turning into dust. The people she knew stood frozen in place and she dared not touch them in fear they would also crumble and fall upon a contact. The pink-haired girl finally stopped pointing something distant in the end of the road before becoming as motionless and lifeless as the rest of their home. Daria stepped toward a dark figure surrounded by lurking shadows and recognized it was Irenicus, her captor, looking directly at her.

She abruptly sat on her bedroll, waking from the nightmare. It only took her few seconds to compose herself enough to fall asleep again though. She was used to strange visions after all and this one wasn't even half as bad as the others could be. For a moment she felt as if someone was holding her hands, but her dreams have already claimed her.

The next morning Nalia came to state that trolls were the mysterious aggressors, who attacked her home and that she was afraid to tell them fearing that they would leave her like the other mercenaries she tried to hire. Daria felt too good after full-night sleep to be angry at the girl, so she just confirmed that they would help her out despite that and prepared for the march. The Keep was only two hours of walk from their camp and after a short briefing from Capitan Arat, one of the few survivors who managed to escape from the Keep before it was taken over by the trolls, the group made its way through a secret passage leading directly to the Keep. Nalia stayed with them, unwilling to wait in safety while they were cleaning the stronghold of any invaders.

Since then they had to fight for every step, facing regenerating trolls and agile yuan-ti, their enemies streaming from every room and blocking the corridors. With Daria in her almost full magic capabilities, Nalia, who seemed to develop a particular hatred towards the trolls and Yoshimo with his quiver full of acid arrows scavenged from the storage room, monsters were falling one by one under rains of death-bringing elements.

Daria was standing on the courtyard stairs now, all that was left of de'Arnise keep garrison gathered below, preparing for the final assault. Nalia didn't look like an innocent and idealistic child anymore. Her face was grim and she loaded a bolt on a small crossbow she was carrying with her. Anomen stood near her. He was doing his best during the fights, using the breaks between the skirmishes to cast blessings and healing spells at the minor wounds they received. He was wasting too many magic on simple scratches though and Daria noted to herself to talk to the priest at the next stop. There was hardly time for it now though and she gave a sign to gather her companions. They stepped into dark hall of the Keep once more.

***

He could hardly focus. Xan was struggling to keep his thoughts centered on the fights, knowing that absent-mindedness was not going to improve his living rate, which he didn't believe to be high anyway, but he couldn't concentrate. He remembered meeting Daria year ago, in the kobold-infested mines of Nashkel. He thought of her as a lively and stubborn elven girl, almost a child, all too eager to learn magic. He directed her talent – he remembered many night watches spent practicing incantations, gestures and runes. She already knew the basics by then - growing up in a library like Candlekeep gave her many opportunities for that, and a foster-father like Gorion did everything to enhance the child's interest in arcane arts. But it wasn't the only thing Xan taught her. He couldn't believe he was the first elf she met, other than her. Well, second actually. She claimed to have seen some pointy-eared woman in Winthrop's Inn few years ago, but didn't have the courage to come any closer. And so she was making use of every chance to learn about the People, Evereska, elven pantheon and traditions. After months of adventuring together he grew to trust her instincts and considered her a close friend. It was an irony of a sort that throughout decades spent in Evereska he never developed as strong familiarity with anyone as with this carefree girl.

But it all changed. She wasn't smiling like before – a cheerful smile, extending to her eyes, her whole face, was replaced with a different expression, more wistful. He didn't hear her laugh even once. He wouldn't believe he could miss the sound of her laughing that much.

A yuan-ti's sword rang on his stoneskin, breaking through his melancholy, but fortunately none of his bones. Were it not for the protective spell, he would be one limb short by now. It clearly wasn't a time for reminiscing. The snake-man took another swing at the elf with a simple steel blade and Xan drew his Moonblade feeling a surge of anger overwhelming him. It was the mage's fault. The mad wizard – Irenicus! The enchanter didn't bother to parry another blow of the monster's sword knowing he still had three layers of stone on him. Instead he drove the blade straight into his enemy's gut giving some release to his rage. Blue glow surrounding the weapon dimmed bathed in creature's blood, but its owner didn't feel any satisfaction. He pulled the sword from the dying yuan-ti wishing it was Irenicus. He would pay for hurting his friend, for changing her. He would pay for her crippled fingers and pain never leaving her eyes. For every scar. Xan couldn't remember feeling such rage before.

The moment the creature fell to the ground Anomen appeared looking slightly battered and checked whether the enchanter was hurt. Daria also run up to him and caught his hand. He felt her skin through the glove somehow.

"Be more careful" she murmured and hurried of to help Minsc and Jaheira. Xan sighed feeling the fury withdrawing. He would die facing a powerful archmage trying to take revenge. So it was settled. He was wondering countless times how his end would look like - now he knew. Assuming they would reach the madman, but knowing Daria's resourcefulness they would arrive just in time for a spectacular death.

***

They entered the last chamber of the basement located under the Keep. It was a rough stone hall, lit only by the Light spells they carried with them. Trolls weren't keen on lighting the large candelabra, which lied in the corner, covered with dust and wax. Motionless gazes of the statues standing guard beside the walls were centered at the winged figure at the end of the room, a tribute to Tyr, god of justice. Xan saw a body below the statue of the god. It was most likely Nalia's father, but the young woman hasn't discerned it yet, her eyes unable to see in the darkness as well as his. 'Another death…' he caught Daria's eyes below the hood – she saw the body as well. Did she know…? There was so much sadness and resignation in her eyes that he felt a sudden need to do anything to make her feel better, but he chased the sensation away quickly, as three giant trolls approached them.

Nalia fired from her wand of fire, the rush of emotions taking over, before the monsters had any chance to attack. Her magic was hastily accompanied by acidic shots from Yoshimo, shooting practically blind, clouds of acrid smoke covering the opponents. The troll chieftain attacked before the veil cleared, leaping on Anomen and sending him flying backwards. At once Daria began the incantation, meaning to slow down their foes. Xan flinched as a pack of summoned kobolds appeared to their left, their yapping echoing through the hall, another of Nalia's wands in action. Minsc's sword connected with the skin of the troll chieftain.

It all took no more than five seconds between the explosion and the first wound appearing on the monster's torso. Xan tried to concentrate, but Daria's voice exclaiming the verses of the spell with steadiness and calmness was mesmerizing. He could only follow her magic, her close connection with the Weave he was also a part of. She finished the incantation at last and two smaller trolls, though calling them small could be the biggest mistake in one's life, flinched at the contact with the sparkling magic. Their movements now looked as if they were trying to wade through deep water. On an impulse Xan grasped his student's arm. She gave him a startled look, but smiled when her eyes shone a silvery glow. He began another spell, an enchantment of his choice. He heard her voice joining his in the unique melody of the charm.

The warriors fighting all three trolls were heavily pressed. Only one kobold remained from the group, the rest sadly crushed by the monsters, and even though the pair of trolls was attacking with reduced speed, their leader was still a formidable force with his long limbs seemingly built purely of muscles. Anomen has already got from the floor, apparently unhurt and Yoshimo drew his katana, probably not to risk hitting his allies with arrows in the fray, but they still had problems with keeping the creatures away from the spellcasters.

The situation changed spectacularly when the pair of elven mages finished the last word of the spell, strengthened by their joined forces – a purple glow covered the chamber and suddenly the trolls stopped their attack. They looked around seemingly lost and uncaring at the blades slashing their flesh. The troll chieftain fell on the ground murmuring with his breaking Common. "We are all doomed…"

Finishing off the heavily depressed trolls didn't give them any problem and soon only burned corpses remained. Jaheira couldn't hide a smirk looking at the enchanter when Minsc proclaimed loudly.

"So that was what you meant Boo, when you said that bad feelings are sometimes needed too! Minsc understands now!"

Daria was smiling at Xan and rubbing her fingers. Did they give her troubles again? The force of the previous explosion has blown the hood off her head revealing her face. Anomen was staring at her profile, his eyes wide open.

"NO!!!" a shout echoed in the silent hall. It was Nalia. She must have discovered her father's body. Xan sighed with resignation.

The young noblewoman knelt next to her beloved father. Three long cuts from the troll claws could be seen on his chest. He was dead for some time already and there was no chance of resurrecting him. Nalia couldn't stop the tears forming in the corners of her eyes, despite her attempts to look strong in the eyes of her new companions. She felt someone's arms surrounding her and tried to push them off, but when they didn't withdraw she fell into Daria's arms sobbing. She clung to her with a fear of a person, whose world has just been shattered into pieces, a fear Daria knew only too well. So she did the same thing Imoen did for her a lifetime ago - she held her, and stroked her hair until Nalia was ready to face the world again.

***

Anomen closed the door to the chapel, leaving two women inside. The rest of the team decided to wait for them in the next room, giving the young noblewoman time to come to terms with her tragedy. Her father unfortunately didn't last long enough for the reinforcements to come. The priest of Helm thought of it as of a sad occurrence, but he knew the sooner Nalia would get over it the better.

He finally saw the face of their elusive leader and that haunted his mind far more than any grievance. He expected everything but an elven face, perfectly normal if pretty, the only flaw being a fresh wide scar hidden on the other side of her face he only got a glimpse of, stretching just from under her eye to her chin, disfiguring the line of her lips only slightly. She looked exotic with her skin dark, but not black as a drow's, and chestnut hair. He was wondering if her sister they were supposed to rescue was as attractive as her.

He noticed the elven enchanter looking at him and realized his smile was giving up his thoughts. He tried to removed it, attempting to look as stern as every Helmite, which was far more appropriate in current situation. It wasn't that he didn't feel sorry for Nalia.

After a while Daria entered the room, her arms still circled around Nalia's shoulders. The young human had red eyes, but she wasn't crying anymore.

"We're getting out of here, people. Nalia is coming with us. We're leaving the Keep."


	6. In search of Valygar Corthala

„**In search of Valygar Corthala"**

The team camped outside the secret entrance to the de'Arnise Keep, shielded by the palisade, a good place to defend themselves in case there were some trolls left near the empty stronghold. Tough indoors was filled with soft beds and promises of cover from the wind and rain, there were also fallen both monsters and men, their corpses left in the corridors where they died. Nalia had a talk with captain Arat, informing him about her father's death and accepting his resignation from duty. She decided to disappear, to leave her home to the Reonalls' family and thus the final task for the survivors of the de'Arnise Keep guards was to bury their comrades and then go their own way.

The result of their last escapade into the abandoned halls was the Flail of Ages, now carried proudly by Anomen, and gold from Lord De'Arnise coffers, which Nalia was disinclined to leave to the Roenalls. Minsc and Jaheira were wearing new breastplates from the keep's armory, but Daria decided to hold on to her robes and cloak, knowing that even leather armor would restrict her from effective spellcasting. She was drinking a jasmine tea from the keep's kitchen, sitting near the fireplace preparing for the last thing that needed to be done today. Nalia asked for some time alone and took her blankets to a covered corner of the palisade, but was still close enough to signal if anything was wrong. It was a moment to relax and concentrate before attempting a locating divination. A perfect moment to be ruined by Anomen.

"My lady! I have been thinking about our last conversation and I was wondering why haven't you found your sister already, if you have such remarkable talents?" his voice broke her conscious reverie. 'Did he really think she hasn't tried?' she thought with a sigh. She did. It was the first thing she did after Imoen was teleported away by the Cowled Wizards. She was tired to bones, hurt and bleeding, but she tried. And the only thing she saw was pitch black darkness, the only thing she felt was cold.

"My powers aren't impossible to block, Anomen, and Cowled Wizards have both means and reasons to shield themselves from divinations." She felt like she failed her sister somehow. It was pointless, she couldn't do anything, but knowing this didn't remove the feeling of guilt.

"Don't worry my lady. We will find your sister" Anomen proclaimed solemnly. "I will do everything I can to help you in this mission, this I swear on my honor as a squire in service of Helm!" Daria was mildly surprised. Anomen said he's joining the party to gain enough reputation, to be accepted in an order of knights of some sort. He out-rightly admitted he wanted only to accomplish some good deeds and there was nothing personal in it. And she took him in because they could use a healer with battle experience. She didn't expect him to become so private all of sudden. Unless… She moaned inwardly. No, not again… The 'damsel in a distress' situation. She should have known. A 'weak' elven woman on a mission to save her sister imprisoned by evil mages. A fairy tale coming true. She had enough of this after traveling with Ajantis. The aspiring knight was circling around her like a hawk, waiting for her to drop something, or at least vaguely mention that she needed some help. She couldn't even make a comment about the weather without being immediately covered with his far too big cloak. At first she was flattered by his advances, she had to admit that. No one has ever courted her like that after all. And he was chivalrous and well-mannered. But when he started to make attempts to massage her feet at every stop, she politely suggested that maybe he should go look for fame and fortune somewhere else.

And now Anomen. Did she really look that helpless, she wondered. Or maybe it was her elven posture making her look weak and fragile. She had to say something, to show that she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself.

"I kno…"

"We're all set Daria. If you're ready we can begin" Jaheira came in time to ruin her speech. But at least now she had work to do. Preaching could wait.

"What do you mean 'all set'? You didn't need anything before, right?" this time Daria didn't foresee Yoshimo's appearance from the shadows. She jumped at the sound of his voice. He seemed to be pretty content with that.

"This time I'm not going to see a glimpse of future… my friend" she mimicked him, a bit irritated that he bested her this time. "I have to… It's hard to explain. It's like leaving your body so your mind can wander freely. It's difficult to describe."

"Isn't it dangerous, my lady? Leaving your body makes you defenseless. Is it possible that you won't find your way back?" Anomen was getting used to a role of her protector, it seemed.

"Minsc will take watch when I'm in a trance. It is possible that I get lost, but Jaheira takes care of that." She was completely dependent on her friends when she was separated from the material world. She remembered the first time she tried to foresee something single-handed, without an anchor to show her a way back. Or rather she remembered the feeling of falling, slowly losing every ounce of strength she might had. And when she was almost powerless against the tide sucking her into unknown she felt a sturdy slap on her face. And then another one. She clutched to the pain and followed it to the surface, regaining consciousness just in time to be rewarded with another one of Jaheira's slaps. She noticed Xan, sitting by her, holding her hand. He was usually pale, but then he was white as sheet. Jaheira stopped her hand and took her in her arms. Daria smiled at the memory. It was the first time Jaheira shown her some emotion through her stony facade. It stayed like that – whenever she tried to divine something far, Jaheira and Xan were always there to make sure she came back.

"Plus, I use an anchor – something that links me to the present" she added, returning from the quick trip to the past.

"What kind of anchor?" Yoshimo raised an eyebrow.

"Nothing sinister, I'm afraid" she answered with a smirk. They were going to travel together for some time. She owed them explanations. "I just listen to a heartbeat – I make sure it doesn't sound to quiet, because it would mean I'm beginning to lose my perception of present time. It keeps me focused somehow."

"Whose heartbeat?" the bounty hunter asked with innocent face. Daria felt her cheeks reddening against her will. She felt like when she was caught stealing cookies in a kitchen in Candlekeep. 'It's nothing to be nervous about!' she chided herself.

"Xan's" she muttered and turned to Jaheira waiting for her.

***

Minsc patrolled the wooden wall, sheltering them from the woods surrounding the keep, and beasts living within. The environs were undisturbed by anything bigger than a squirrel, and though the berserker's eyes soon wouldn't be able to penetrate the shadows of the forest, deepening as the sun began to disappear behind the horizon, he trusted his hamster companion to detect any danger near the camp. Inside the palisade Jaheira unfolded a blanket and sat on one of its corners. Daria sat in the middle, Xan to her left. The diviner took a deep breath, exhaled slowly and handed her palm to the gloomy elf. Anomen and Yoshimo silently sat close by to watch.

Daria closed her eyes. Xan was holding her hand, but unlike he held it many times before. He was careful with her fingers it seemed, as if fearing they would break again the moment he'd take hold of her palm more firmly. But it was hardly important at the moment, so she forced herself to center attention on his pulse: fast, despite the calm situation. She gradually detached her mind from any distractions. She fell backwards as all her muscles relaxed, but Xan and Jaheira held her limp form already, placing it gently on the blanket. She could see it, but it felt like she was looking through a telescope, from a great distance. It was strange to look at her own face, bright silver in her opened eyes, but she got used to it by now, after many past divinations. The new scar was ugly though.

She flew high above the camp, looking at the nearby stronghold becoming smaller and smaller. Far above the ground, among the clouds lit by the setting sun, she whispered a name – Valygar Corthala, and made it flow with the wind, circling the whole Amn, entire Toril, should she want. But it wasn't necessary – she felt an answering voice, like a song coming from a distance. It wasn't far enough to hide from her eyes and she moved towards the source of the sound, swirling through the wind, immaterial and free. The beating of a heart followed her above the lands of Amn. Xan was with her even now – it's no wonder she got used to his company that much.

"Say something, Daria! Speak!" she heard Jaheira's urging – it was almost indistinctive among the melodies of the wind, but she eventually complied looking at the conclusion of her psychic journey.

"I see a small hut among the hills, located north from a small village on the east…" she began to speak through the vocalization spell.

***

Daria inhaled sharply, ending her mental trip. She turned on her side coughing, feeling air in her lungs. Her senses were attacked by all possible sensations, the rustle of every leaf, Minsc's heavy footsteps outside the palisade, the smell of the thousand herbs in the forest, the heavy embrace of her own clothes and the fuzzy blanket underneath – she could feel it all, for a small amount of time, before the dazzling whirlwind of colors and scents composed itself into the world she knew. She couldn't help but smile seeing Jaheira and Xan held their breath for few seconds. The first few attempts of divinations ended with Daria covering her ears with all her strength, since she couldn't withstand the hiss of the air as they breathed.

"Did you write everything down?" she asked Jaheira, when she managed to sit on the blanket. She didn't even flinch at the sound of her own voice, merely a whisper, but loud as a shout in her ears. Jaheira noiselessly showed her the notes.

"Great, 'because I don't fancy repeating it anytime soon. I'm spent." Her voice returned to normal or rather - her senses returned to normal. She stood up from the cover. H legs weren't even shaking, she realized surprised. Usually she couldn't stand up without help for at least half an hour, but now she only felt drowsy. She really was getting hold over it. It didn't stop Xan from jumping to his feet to support her however. Daria decided to take advantage or the situation, just a little bit, and when he offered her his arm she gave him a hug, circling her hands around his waist. She raised her eyes at him – it was his turn to flush and pretend uneasily that it's a normal way to help somebody stand. He was already becoming red as a peony. Now he would say that she was doomed and…

"My lady! Are you hurt?" Anomen instantly rose from his seat ruining her fun.

"No, I'm alright" she said, releasing Xan from her arms. "I'm off for some sleep though. Wake me up at the last watch, if you don't mind". The enchanter took her by the arm with an unrecognizable murmur, avoiding eye contact. He was persistent. Or he didn't mind hugging after all.

It was the former, Daria knew it, but she couldn't help the tinge of sadness she felt.

***

In the morning they gathered the camp and took the first road leading east they could find. Jaheira arranged the notes – she and Daria were walking in the front of the group, trying to figure out the right path.

"This rock formation is quite characteristic. Is it the 'white rock' you mentioned in the trance?" the druid pointed a small group of sandstones.

"I don't know" the diviner answered the hundredth time over. For her it was just another pile of rocks. It looked exactly the same as all before.

"You said you saw the path leading the village?" The druid raised an eyebrow with doubt.

"I saw it from the sky. It's a completely different perspective, you know?" Daria was getting irritated by now. The next question would be about assessing the distance.

"But you know how far it is?"

Daria wouldn't call Jaheira predictable, but they had such arguments every time she was divining a road somewhere, and they have already developed a pattern.

"Yes, I know. I told you – two days of marching, plain road. I can see as much" the elven diviner said with tiredness in her voice. She could see she didn't convince her guardian.

"But we don't see any landmarks you mentioned – the white rock, a deciduous forest or the hills." Jaheira rearranged the notes again.

"The white rock could be everywhere. I suppose it may not look as white as from the sky. The forest is halfway from the village, so we won't see it before the late afternoon, and the hills begin at the very end of the road." Daria didn't see anything more characteristic than that. It was a very simple path, leading straight east, disappearing among the hills. There weren't many travelers, and those few who choose the road were going in the opposite direction.

"Assuming it is the right road and we don't know that."

"It _does_ lead eastward. I'm not a walking map Jaheira! We'll have to stick to the road until I learn how to draw in my trances." The diviner added sarcasm to her arsenal. There was no way she could as much as move a finger when she was away from her body and Jaheira knew it.

"Maybe all you have to learn is making clearer directions" Jaheira said in her usual superior tone. That did it. She wasn't a druid to distinguish every tree in a forest.

"Fine!" Daria stormed off to march in front of the group, ending the discussion and leaving Jaheira behind. It was also a part of the pattern.

On the other part of the group the tension was certainly lower. Nalia was marching along with Minsc. She held Boo in her hands with care and smiled lightly.

"I came to a decision yesterday" she said to her tall companion. Minsc nodded solemnly encouraging her to talk. "I decided that I want to become an adventurer, like you. I could help the poor and everyone who was in trouble. My father would be proud, I'm sure. I know I'm not used to such life yet, but I will learn. Daria allowed me to stay after all."

"Little Daria is a good person, so says Minsc and Boo! She helped us too when we lost our witch and couldn't find her." The little hamster climbed back on his shoulder from the girl's hands.

Further behind Anomen became a target of Yoshimo's interrogation. The priest was answering the questions relating stories of his adventures in the order, oblivious to irony in thief's praises of his courage. Xan was lagging behind, with nose stuck in his scrolls.

***

They camped for the night in a forest – the one Daria was relaying on with her navigations. The diviner couldn't help a smug smile appearing on her face every time Jaheira looked in her direction, but since she still had her hood on the druidess couldn't see a thing. They set off the next day, early in the morning. The weather was sunny, a cloudless sky without anything covering the view of the hills ahead. The hills however…

When they reached the first slope around noon they noticed a dark cloud hovering above a distant settlement, coming from the north. It covered the village in a sinister shadow, looking as if it was trying to strangle the little town with murkiness and gloom. Their path led straight into the darkness.

"This does not look good" Nalia stated. Daria sighed. Why a straight road was never as simple as it seemed?


	7. Away from the Light

"**Away from the Light"**

The party of adventurers entered the shade two hours after noon. Ahead of the darkened area the sky was bright and sunny, a perfect summer day, but as soon as they crossed the line of shade a winter-cold wind blew straight in their faces, like a white dragon's breath. It seemed as if something was sucking warmth from the very air along with the light, something that could change a sunny day into what felt like a chilly tomb. After half an hour of walking they completely lost any sign of sunshine from their sight, only dim twilight remaining. The shadows around every stone and tree seemed leaping at the group every time they averted their eyes, only withdrawing when someone looked directly at them. They subconsciously clenched in a small group, slowly moving forward. Daria couldn't help the feeling of icy shiver going down her spine, telling her that someone was watching them from the darkness. She silently turned her eyes silver in attempt to discover the presence.

She caught her breath at the sight and lost balance, landing awkwardly on her knees and regaining proper vision. Her fall alarmed her companions – they hastily, if a bit clumsily created a circle around her covering her from an unknown enemy. Jaheira hurried to her side checking for wounds.

"Shadow fiends… a lot of them" Daria managed to stammer out. She stood up with Jaheira's help. "Xan, Nalia we need Light spells." She began casting herself, but her hands picked the moment to rebel again and she wasted a spell. Her friends' magic illuminations sparkled and hovered above their heads dispersing the shades. She bit her lip and began the incantation again, more carefully. This time she succeeded and the third glow joined up the two above, creating a triangle around the team.

"We're surrounded by the shadows, a type of ghostly undead. I think they are waiting for the dusk to attack." Daria shuddered at the thought. It was dark already, black shadows inside the aura of dimness. Only little light filtered through the dark shroud covering the sky. And it could be darker still… Even elven infravision was too weak to penetrate the ever-present chilly veil. The sun elf could see only as far as the light evoking spells extended.

"We should turn back and find another road" Nalia didn't feel adventurous anymore. The darkness was making her shiver. She could feel the cold through her light cloak.

"These creatures are unnatural. We should find the source of this aberration and remove it." Jaheira pointed at leafless and crooked trees covered with the dark mist. Whether they suffered from the lack of sun or something was draining their life energy, they looked as if they were turning into shadows themselves.

"There is no other way – to avoid the cloud we would have to circle the hills from the south. It would take us many days. And we have to check the village. The villagers probably need help..." Daria stopped in mid-sentence, before saying calmly: "We're going to be attacked in few seconds. Anomen – we need a blessing."

The priest looked at her as if he was expecting a very bad joke. Before he realized she wasn't jesting, the shadows on one side of the road already rose to spawn crimson-eyed monsters, surrounded with freezing auras. Jaheira however used the time to create a flaming sword, which burst into life, blazing in her two-handed grip. Yoshimo switched the arrows in his quiver with the ones enchanted with fire, which they scavenged from the de'Arnise Keep. The magical Lights blinked and faded.

"Will they attack from the other side too?" the druid asked loudly hesitating to join Minsc already cleaving through the first shadow. She was worried to leave the spellcasters uncovered.

"No!" she heard Daria answering. Anomen already got into the fray. He wasn't used to his new flail, but the enchanted shield was resisting the cold touch of the undead. Minsc and Jaheira didn't have that advantage. Their metal armors were only a useless weight against the chilling touch of the undead and every time a shadowy limb slipped through their defenses they visibly weakened.

Three magic bolts scorching with enchanted fire flew in the direction of the mass of darkness. In split second three shadows came to nonexistence and the mages began to repeat the verses of the spell once more. Yoshimo was already out of enchanted arrows. He drew his katana and progressed ahead looking for a best place to strike.

Jaheira's arms seemed heavier with every blow. The burning weapon was devastating for the closest enemies, but there were more of them to come. She heard Minsc battle cry as he entered his berserk's rage, Anomen to his right making use of his holy symbol of Helm every time he got a break from the shadows surrounding him. Jaheira braced herself for a long battle.

Another burst of fire arrows broke through the line of the tide of blackness, only few shadow fiends surviving the blaze. Daria felt a spasm of pain in her hand. She only managed to send flashing Magic Missiles, when Nalia and Xan began the third round of the spells. She saw Jaheira falling under the weight of her breastplate, drained completely of her strength. The fiery weapon fell to the dark grass extinguishing quickly. The bounty hunter fighting arm in arm with her was paralyzed by the shadow's touch.

Daria felt powerless without any weapon except her useless magic, looking at Jaheira unable to move from another attack. She was a diviner and she couldn't even use spells properly! She threw herself to shield her friend whispering the first incantation that came to her mind. A shocking spark that came from her fingers was far too weak to injure a shadow fiend - it wasn't even powerful enough to repel it. She felt a freezing chill as the ghostly hand went straight through her stomach. The world blacked around her and she fell back on the ground, diverting the creature's attention from Jaheira, lying not far away. On impulse Daria separated herself from her body just before losing consciousness. She watched helplessly as the monster loomed over her motionless form beginning to drain life from her. 'At least Jaheira is safe' she thought with sadness, feeling weaker with every bit of energy consumed by the dark creature.

"No!" she heard Anomen shout, running in her direction to fend off the attacker. He wouldn't make it on time, as the remaining shadows immediately moved to seize him. Daria watched his efforts to break through to her with melancholy. Last seconds of her life were becoming the past one by one. She looked at her own face. Her normally light brown skin was now gray and only a smallest glint of silver glowed in her half-open eyes. She never felt that cold in her whole life. The warriors would deal with three remaining shadows and stop the fiend before it hurts Jaheira, but for her it was too late…

A Fire Arrow hit her would-be killer in the chest dispersing it instantly into dark nothingness. Xan darted to her side and kneeled while Nalia finished of the last of the dark creatures firing a spell in its back. Anomen dodged a swing of the Sword of Chaos from the enraged berserker - it took few moments for Minsc to recognize his comrade. By this time the enchanter uncorked a bottle of a healing potion Daria carried by her belt – the last potion left they had after getting through the mad mage's dungeon. Daria could see sweat on his brow as he carefully lifted her head and poured the blue liquid into her mouth. She felt the effects of the healing magic through a link with the material world – a part of the warmth she lost returned to her numb body. The realization that she almost died hit her like a physical blow. A sudden rush of emotions washed over her and she threw her immaterial arms around Xan's lean frame. She knew he wouldn't feel her in the incorporeal form she took and she kissed him feeling tears streaming down her cheeks. She could feel him trembling, even though he couldn't feel her. He was shaking her 'material' shoulder frantically trying to rouse her, almost begging her to wake up. A pull, always present when she was apart from her physical body, was becoming stronger and she drew back. Without her anchor she couldn't resist it long. She touched Xan's cheek with her hand – slender and delicate in this form – and became one with her body again.

She felt tears on her face, though she was material again. She inhaled sharply, and it felt like first breath after long time. And she felt nauseous, her whole abdomen hurting. She pushed all her emotions into a back corner of her mind before slowly looking around. Jaheira was getting herself from the ground, trying to reach her. Anomen was already halfway through a healing spell kneeling by her other side, Nalia panicking in the background. The noblegirl did hold her ground in the fight, so she could panic all she wanted now. Yoshimo was still immobilized in his fighting stance, frozen uncomfortably. Daria's after-divination senses were sharpened as always, but everything close her was blurry and unreal. Someone's hands were holding her head. She squint her eyes and the purple patch merged into image of Xan. He gave her a shaky smile, but he looked as if he was about to faint. Another weave of heat warmed her when Anomen completed the incantation. She sighed and rose to sit pressing her hands to her hurting stomach. Jaheira was by her now.

"_Never_ do that again! What were you thinking?!" the shadows might have drained Jaheira from her physical strength, but nothing could deprive her of the strength of her voice.

"It's nice to see you're feeling good Jaheira" Daria made an effort of sounding lighthearted. The result was rather pathetic.

"_Good?!_ You know how I felt seeing this monster killing you in front of me, unable to move?" the druidess' voice broke at the end of the sentence. She recovered, steel coming back in her words. "You try something like that and I will murder you myself, do you understand?!"

"It's alright. Xan's Fire Arrow came just in time." Daria placed a hand on her mother's shoulder. In times like this she couldn't help but think about Jaheira as of her mother. Everybody looked at her stunned.

"What?" she asked subtly.

"How do you know who killed the shadow?" Anomen asked incredulously.

"_Please_…" she gave a mock sight of hurt pride. She flashed silver looking few moments back in time. They got the message.

"You did this on purpose?!" Jaheira shouted, before shaking her head with furious resignation and turning her attention to her own wounds.

"Next time you will rely on my speed to survive please inform me earlier" Xan looked pale. Paler, that is.

"Next time I will tell you to shoot it down before it as much as tries to get near us." It seemed that they thought Daria knew what she was doing. Ah, well… She didn't have to clear up _every_ misunderstanding. She nodded to Anomen to give her another one of his healings.

They had to wait several minutes until Yoshimo's paralyze subdued, his muscles finally relaxing. Being touched by an undead certainly wasn't a pleasant feeling. Anomen and Jaheira made use of this time healing the effects of shadows' the weakening touch on the team. By the time the party was ready to move on, Daria was more or less in good shape.

***

The village, called Imnesvale as they learned, was located at the other side of the unnatural shroud, only few steps behind the edge of the darkened area. The sun still could penetrate through the cloud and the little town was bathed in warm glow of summer. At the first sight it looked like a safe haven after fighting through the black pits of Abyss. Nonetheless the first sight was ruined by the first person they met, a farmer, who pointed his finger at Daria, in her dark cloak and hood again, and screaming "Umar! Umar!" stormed off to the settlement.

When they reached the first line of houses they were greeted by a group of militia, armed with forks and scythes, though it looked as if its members were keener on running than fighting. A chubby mayor stood behind the front line.

"G-g-great witch Umar, w-we'd like to make p-p-peace with you" the mayor was barely stammering. The scythes didn't appear exactly peace-encouraging.

Daria looked at her companions, but she was rewarded only with shrugs. She made a step forward. The group of peasants made a step backward, one of them breaking into run back to the village. She showed her unarmed hands. The brave militia flinched simultaneously at the gesture.

"My name is Daria of Candlekeep. I came here with my friends in search of a noble named Valygar Corthala. Do you know where he might be?" she tried to look harmless and polite - the people looked terrified enough without her adding to it.

"Y-y-you're not Umar?" the mayor couldn't believe his ears it seemed.

"I don't even know what this 'Umar' is." It was against the diviners' code to admit that they didn't know everything, but somehow Daria managed.

"Thank gods! You almost gave me a heart-attack!" the mayor was almost pouring out relief. 'It seems this Umar thing can't lie', Daria thought. 'Or the mayor is far too naïve.' Most of the scythes were lowered. The mayor led them to the settlement.

The first thing Daria noticed, when they entered the small square located in the middle of Imnesvale, was that all windows and doors to the houses were tightly shut. The sun was slowly disappearing below the horizon, but it was still bright enough to make out shapes of various holy symbols, illegible runes and other paintings covering all doors and doorframes. The villagers most likely couldn't decide in their choice of deity and she watched with bizarre fascination a crooked resemblance of Malar's claw painted subsequently after Helm's armored palm. No wonder gods were 'indisposed' at the moment, and couldn't help the village.

The militiamen scattered, hurrying to reach their safe abodes before the sunset. The plump mayor knocked at the door leading to the biggest house. It had a piece of wood attached to its doorframe that might have been a sign of an inn once, but now was completely covered in paint.

"Please wait in the inn. I will go and tell my wife Aina where I am and then I will explain everything to you. Don't go out after nightfall under any circumstances." The village's leader disappeared into one of the nearby cabins.

The stench of the inn made Daria actually miss the Copper Coronet. It reeked with the smell of too many people crowded in one place for much too long time. There was a group of traveling merchants scowling over their drinks, refugees, probably from the settlements already covered in the black cloud, homeless beggars and drunks. Among the stench of unwashed bodies, spilled beer and rot, one smell was the most distinctive. The smell of fear.

When the mayor arrived, the doors were tightly sealed and barred. He pointed the adventurers to a last free table in the corner of the common room and began his tale. From what Daria gathered Imnesvale was suffering from the attacks of unknown enemy since about the time, when the dark cloud appeared on the north, a month ago. Few days later their only defender, a ranger named Merella, disappeared mysteriously. Since then the villagers were being slain in their own houses and their bodies were gone by the next day. Some suspected that it was a doing of an evil ogre mage, named Madulf, who came with his band of deserters to settle nearby. Others claimed it was a pack of wolves hunting close to the village. The last gossip was about Umar, a witch from the hills, returning after hundreds of years. The mayor declared loudly that nobody as much as believed the old myth anymore, but Daria dared to have a different opinion after what she saw today. After finishing the tale the mayor went to the bar to make use of the absence of his wife.

There weren't any rooms free for rent but the barkeep pointed them to a relatively dirt-free piece of floor, where they could place their bedrolls. Yoshimo hurried of to make some provisions – making deals with desperate merchants was an opportunity far too good for him to pass. The group gradually prepared for rest.


	8. The Darkest Night

„**The Darkest Night"**

Daria watched the almost full moon through a dusted, partly-covered window. All her companions were already soundly asleep on the ground around her, huddled in their coats and blankets, but she couldn't hear the soothing call of sleep just yet. She felt nervous and uneasy, only barely restraining herself from walking around the common room of the Imnesvale Inn, worried not to wake her friends. She felt caged in a space far too small for her, she wanted to break free, to leave this humid place and look directly at the sky, not obscured by the dusty glass. She could only think about today's battle with the shadow fiend, about helplessness she felt, weak and unarmed against her enemy, about resignation to the death, she learned the first time in Irenicus' dark dungeon and above all, about the feeling she tried to bury, but once again failed.

She kissed him. She remembered the touch of his lips on hers and the smell reminding her of books and magic, always surrounding him. Seeing, hearing and feeling everything after dividing herself into material and immaterial in her trance, she always remained beyond the grasp of others' senses. She wondered how he would react were it different. Would he be shocked? Surprised? Would he fall back with disgust? No, he wouldn't. He wasn't like that. He would look at her with his ever sad eyes that cleaved her heart in half and said: "I'm sorry Daria…"

Her heart lurched painfully at the thought that he would pity her. She needed to go out, to leave this cage before she'd lose her mind and start crying or screaming or… or kisses him again, just to find out. The walls were so close to her that she couldn't catch a breath. She ran to the back doors, not as heavily fortified as the front and began unbarring them wildly. When she finally felt a gust of wind on her face it seemed to her it was the last moment for escape before succumbing to madness.

She closed the door behind her and began walking forward through the sleeping village, in the midst of the silent houses. She hastened her pace and then broke into run, sprinting ahead without direction as fast as she could. When she stumbled and fell gracelessly at last, the village was already far behind. She let herself lay on the ground trying to catch her breath, a pale distant moon being the only source of light on an empty glade she reached. It was like that from the very beginning, when she met Xan in the deepest tunnels of Nashkel mines. The first thought she had when she saw him in the murky cave that was his cell, was how could anyone imprison someone so beautiful? It was stupid and childish, she didn't know him and he didn't know her, but since then a part of her was linked to him and there was simply nothing she could do about it. She accepted him in their group, learned from him and eventually became his friend. She would make him smile from time to time and harass him to teach her a new charm or word in elven, but there was nothing more…

Her breathing steadied as she lied on her back looking at the moon and the stars only barely covered by the clouds. She remembered the moment, when it got to her at last that it's only friendship for him, that she was imagining things. It was a time before all the Bhaalspawn revelations, before reaching Baldur's Gate. They were sitting in front of each other by a stream, at the edge of the Cloakwood, studying their spellbooks. She found herself stealing a look at him more often than actually looking into a fat tome she held on her knees. He had a thorough expression on his face he always took when dealing with magic and she enjoyed watching his eyes moving along the lines in the book - she got so caught up in this visage that she actually missed the fact that he stopped reading and was now looking at her.

"How do you say 'I love you' in elven?" she asked the first thing that came to her mind. She almost choked when she realized what she just said.

"It's 'amin mela Ile'" he answered plainly and returned to his studies. She didn't remember what she felt when he said that. Anger and betrayal were possibilities, but knowing her pathetic self, she probably stood up and went to find a secluded corner to cry in peace.

It was ironic that the thing she wanted to hear the most was the same, which took away all her hope. It didn't mean anything to him, so it was just an empty statement. The confession was just an example of a foreign language use, and so she was just a silly little girl, who grew up reading romantic stories hidden among the bookshelves.

And there she was now. Her great secret – the first thing she hadn't told even Imoen. She was hopelessly in love and hated herself for it, for being unable to say 'no' to him, for hugging him and touching his hand whenever she had an occasion, for crying her eyes out at night, when she couldn't take the loneliness anymore and for smiling at him again in the morning. She hated life for not being a fairy tale, despite what Ajantis and others like him thought. And she hated herself for kissing Xan, because the memory would haunt her till the end of her short life, reminding her constantly what she would never be able to have.

She got herself from the ground. She was a mess, plain and simple, sweated and covered in mud, leaves and small twigs tangled in her hair. Tears couldn't stop flowing from her eyes – one more reason for self-hatred. She forgot her cloak upon her hastily escape and was now beginning to shiver. Her ankle hurt after the fall.

She tried to determine with her magic whether there were any shadow monsters on her road to the village, but her attempts to concentrate resembled trying to squeeze water from a stone. She was unsure if she wanted the road to be clear and safe, or swarming with undead. She began to hobble in the direction of the inn.

What was it that made her love him? She kept wondering. Was it that he was one of the few of the elven blood she knew? She knew Kivan and Coran, and some other nameless elves she met throughout her adventures and felt nothing even bordering that emotion. Was it that they shared a fascination in the arcane arts? Was it that no matter how hopeless and unpromising he claimed their situation was he never left her side? Or maybe it wasn't love after all, only a foolish attachment of a girl, who lost her father and desperately wanted someone – anyone, to take care of her?

'It doesn't matter' she thought and repeated it in her head over and over again. 'I will go to the inn, block the door, fall asleep. I will wake up and say 'good morning'. I will smile at him. It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter, it doesn't…"

He was standing at the door of the inn looking directly at her. Her heart skipped a beat.

Xan walked up to her hurriedly scanning her features for a sign of what happened as she stood petrified. He reached to her hair and touched it.

"Are you hurt?" he asked with concern in his voice. He was holding a leaf he pulled from her hair in his hand. Daria felt her lips are trying to formulate a smile automatically. Her tears began to fall with renewed strength.

"I'm alright" she said with breaking voice and fell in his arms. She felt spasms shaking her whole body as she gave in to the sadness and misery embracing them inside. He gasped in surprise and fell to the ground, but held her nonetheless, close to his heart, a familiar beat near her ear. Never breaking the embrace she clang to him and cried until his whole robe was covered with her tears, until her heart was empty and she couldn't cry anymore. And even then, when the dawn was breaking on the east and first rays of sunshine messaged the coming of a new day, she knew only sorrow, though and because, her best friend was there for her.

***

It was dawning by the time the elven woman he held in his arms stopped sobbing. All the time he held her and whispered futile words of consolation she couldn't even hear, lost in her despair. It was almost more than he could take, seeing her so devastated, so hurt… And he couldn't even imagine how painful it must have been for her. She buried her face in his robe and he couldn't see her weeping, but he could feel her grief, even though he couldn't understand it. She wasn't wounded, but he knew there were emotional scars much deeper than any cut a sword could leave. When her crying ceased he picked her up from the ground and carried indoors. She wasn't resisting, she hasn't even raised her eyes at him and he wondered if she finally fallen asleep from exhaustion. She didn't, he realized when he tried to place her on a blanket in the silent corner of the common room. She let out a strangled sob when he released her from his arms. Her hand clutched at his robe.

"It's alright. I am with you. For as futile as it is… I will not leave you" he whispered gently. The rest of their party was still asleep on the other side of the room, oblivious to their leader's absence. He wanted to wake up Jaheira, to take care of Daria's swelling ankle, but when the girl raised her eyes to meet his he realized that a hurting leg was the least of her problems. He saw what he knew for a long time, but hoped she would never find out. He once again saw that life was a cruel game and they were always on the losing side.

"Don't leave me…" she sounded helpless, her voice hoarse from crying. He sat near her blanket. Her entire face was wet and swollen, and he began wiping her tears away with a piece of cloth he had in his pocket. She closed her sore eyes, slowly dozing off under his careful treatment. How much must she have suffered to be left in such a state? He covered her with his cloak, watching her features relax slowly. What had this foul creature, this 'Shattered One' done to her, to break her like that? What kind of monster would be able to hurt such a delicate being, like she was hurt? Xan was certain it was not an elf. No elf could ever deal such pain and remain unscathed.

He sat by her side for about an hour, before a shuffle behind him announced that his companions were beginning to wake up. He looked at her one last time and got up to prepare his spells she would undoubtedly need today.

When he saw her again half an hour later she was clad in her cloak and wore her gloves again. Her eyes weren't swollen anymore and she looked as always – exchanging small jokes with Yoshimo and arguing with Jaheira. When she looked at him her face became still for a second and then she gave him her usual smile. He was almost fooled.

Hiding his hands under a table Xan quickly summoned up the gestures of a simple revealing spell. Just as he thought, Daria's face was covered in a gentle mist of illusion. For how long…? She was hiding her feelings, her pain, under a mask and he didn't as much as notice. If he hadn't woken up just then he would answer her grin with a half-smile as always and wouldn't think about it more than a minute. How could he be that blind? He saw gentle signals – she rubbed her eyes more often and he could notice some measure of falseness in her easy-going manner. Did she really want it to be like that? No one noticing her tears, no one holding her when she cried? She was like that, he knew it. She would bleed to death, but she would never say she needed help.

She said something to Jaheira and pointed her foot. He overheard her saying she 'must have twisted her ankle yesterday'. It didn't make Xan feel any better knowing that the druidess hasn't became aware of her ward's misery either. Instead she made a standard speech about being more careful and used a healing spell. Daria made a sour comment that she was not a druid to be able to walk in the wilderness like Jaheira, and beamed an out of character smile, probing her healed leg. Xan decided that he was a blind fool indeed.


	9. A Path through the Darkness

„**A Path through the Darkness"**

Nalia was hit with a branch of a dead tree, released by Yoshimo. She was beginning to hate the whole adventuring thing. All they were doing few hours already was tearing through a murky forest, covered with the same unnatural darkness as the road to Imnesvale. Shadows were darkening with every step toward the abandoned and supposedly desecrated temple, which was the aim of their journey, the surrounding woods deadly quiet, and Nalia could almost hear an echo each time she stepped on a dry twig. Not a single bird sang among the trees, breaking the silence. No one seemed to be in the mood to talk either, and they progressed silently in the haunted wilderness. Nalia got another hit from a branch, but she restrained herself from complaining. They were trying to help people in need, rescue the poor villagers of Imnesvale - it was a cause worth of making sacrifices. And she _did_ vote for it, when they were deciding whether to go for Valygar Corthala first, or try to unravel the source of the murders in the Umar Hills.

She secretly missed her life as a part of amnian nobility. She had spent a lot of time in Slums of Athkatla, but she could always go back to her comfortable keep and servants ready to fulfill her every wish. She often declared that people should be their own masters, but she couldn't stop thinking about hot baths Chanelle used to prepare for her. She never had to sleep under the stars or on the inn's floor when one of her servants was around.

Daria stopped for a moment and cast another Light – a small orb of gentle silver glow joined the two other above their heads. The next moment one of the older spells began to fade. Nalia watched the elven woman with amazement. The leader of their small band seemed both very strong and strangely… inappropriate to her. She had most spectacular abilities and used them in heat of a battle effortlessly. She could stand up to an enemy even without a weapon and almost died, still remaining undefeated, knowing she would eventually triumph. Nalia was feeling something akin to admiration when she was watching the small elf.

But there were also other things that made young noblewoman wonder. She saw Daria casting many spells, but all of them were just simple charms or illusions, and more than once her incantation went wrong, nothing an experienced battle-mage would ever allow. Was it because she was focusing on the divinations? The other elf, the enchanter, seemed to be her teacher previously. He was trying to talk to his former student all morning in no avail. Was it about the obvious flaws in Daria's magic?

But she was a strong and independent woman. Nalia heard a story of Daria stopping the war in the north, rescuing the city of Baldur's Gate. She could imagine a great heroine swearing to rescue her kidnapped sister, no matter of the costs. Nalia wondered if she would ever be like that.

A second illuminating spell blinked and came to nonexistence. It was the sixth in a row, Nalia counted silently in her head. I would mean they were walking six hours already. Was this forest ever going to end? She didn't know such giant wooded areas even existed!

"I've lost the way" the always stern half-elven woman stated. Most of the group gave her a look as if she grew a pair of horns.

"If you can't find the way Jaheira, then the best course of action would be probably lying down on the ground to die." Daria answered with a smirk. She got a loud 'humph' as an answer.

Nalia felt a shiver down her spine. They were lost? Are they going to walk in circles never leaving this horrible place? Daria moved at the front of the group, before Nalia was able to voice her concerns. She turned around, glancing idly at the tree-tops, and unhurriedly closed her eyes. When she opened them again they were bright as little stars, shining under her hood. Even the darkness around them seemed to fade a little. Nalia heard Anomen's gasp.

"I'll lead the way now" the diviner said. She stepped further into the haunted forest.

***

The dark and bloodcurdling woods looked completely different when watched through her inner sight. Daria could see the paths hidden intentionally under layers of shadow to cover the road to the temple, black patches covering the once living green forest. Something was struggling to suppress her precognition, but the strange presence soon retreated, before she could try to probe it with a spell. Nothing could hide from her eyes now and she was certain that if she raised her head to the sky, she would see the sun through the unholy shroud. A part of restlessness she felt since entering the dark land left her. Nevertheless she was certain she would have to pay for it with another one of her headaches later on.

She had a hard time avoiding Xan all morning and then walking far enough not to be engaged in any conversation. She pretended to be interested in Anomen's boasting as he bragged about killing countless orcs and giants, and gods knew what else. She couldn't avoid the enchanter forever, but she could buy herself enough time to think of some decent excuse of her outburst. She didn't know why she broke down like that, and in front of him, to her shame. Why was he awake anyway? And she thought she came to terms with her…'condition'. It's been some time since they met and it all began. It's been some time since the last time she cried because of it. He left for Evereska and she was beginning to regain some of her inner balance. After all she decided to wait for it to pass and she was doing good job at it. Or so she thought.

Minutes stretched into hours as she led the others deeper into the woods. Daria was already starting to feel the familiar pounding in her head signaling a coming headache. It didn't distract her from her reminiscing however.

I was a busy day so far. The group has already negotiated a pact with an ogre mage Madulf, who wasn't as evil as the villagers seemed to think, and checked a small cabin, previously occupied by Merella the ranger, for any signs of her. All trails led to the once glorious temple dedicated to some forgotten deity. Daria wanted to reach it before the sunset – not that it could be any darker, but she didn't relish the thought of spending a night it this place without a bit of wall to cover them. At least they had some study tents and better camping equipment, which Yoshimo bought for money taken from de'Arnise Keep coffers.

She stumbled. Ironically, she could see exactly the root and saw in detail how her foot got tangled in it, but couldn't stop the fall anyway. It seemed foreseeing didn't exactly mean preventing. She felt she needed to get used to kissing the ground, because it wasn't going to end any time soon. Her arms couldn't support her when she tried to pick herself up, she noticed startled, falling back on the ground unable to get up. She didn't realize how drained she was after miles of walking, divining all the way, too focused on her search for the right road. Someone's strong arms lifted her from the forest floor and she felt a cold metal pressed to the side of her face. She raised her eyes to see Minsc smiling broadly at her.

"Boo thought you may need a lift!" he said. Daria looked at many scars at his head. The one near his ear he got from the gnolls in the fortress, rescuing Dynaheir, the big cut he got from a werewolf, the one from the hit in the head he received two weeks before they met in Nashkel… She realized she's beginning to lose attention of surroundings and time. And that Minsc needs a new helmet.

'Just a little further…' she sent her senses as far as she could without leaving her body and found a ruined paved road leading north. She pointed the direction to the huge ranger. He gave her another grin and carried her forward.

"Maybe we should stop for a rest, my lady?" she heard somebody behind Minsc ask. She ignored the question completely.

"Look out at the tree root to your left… A paved road begins in five steps… the middle part is missing…" Daria was giving instructions just in case. The ranger could move in the forest with skill by far exceeding hers, but she _did_ know that if he tipped, she would end under a formidable mass of Rashemi berserker in full armor.

Something jumped from one of Minsc pockets and she saw Boo climbing her robe to nestle himself on her belly. 'Just don't make yourself too comfortable mister…' she threatened the nosy hamster in her mind.

She finally saw the ancient site of worship only few steps through the darkness from them, infested with shadowy creatures of all shapes. She expected just as much. She felt her perception fading.

"We reached the temple" she said. "There's a pack of shadow wolves… in the courtyard there's a giant hole in the ground… a crystal in the middle…" she could barely speak. The presence she felt before returned, as if sensing her weakness. "It knows we're here" she only managed to whisper before the darkness took her.

***

When she came round she was lying on a blanket, wet cloth smelling with herbs placed on her forehead. She could feel a small stream of cold water making its way through her brow, disappearing in her hair. She heard some noises in the background – rattle of armor, someone – Nalia? – uttering words of a spell. She made an attempt of recognizing the incantation, but her head felt like it was about to burst. She tried to be as motionless as possible hoping the pain would go away.

The environs were surprisingly bright for a source of a darkness surrounding the whole area. The light was coming from some place to her left, but she couldn't see it without turning her head and that would ruin her perfect plan of remaining still. Instead she shut her eyes to separate herself from the world around her. Pity she couldn't close her ears.

She heard more clinking, something that sounded like a howling, but somehow more thrilling, and a sound of something made of metal hitting wood. And more clinking. Three pairs of heavy steps coming closer, until the noise was surrounding her. If she opened eyes she could see the noise-makers, she really didn't want to though. She was grateful that at least Xan, Yoshimo and Nalia could walk relatively silently. Someone sat down by her side, Jaheira most likely, waiting for her to wake up to make her a lecture about over-using divination. Daria tried to faint again.

She almost jumped, when someone's hand touched her face, stroking the unscarred skin. Her eyes immediately fluttered open and she saw Xan hastily taking away his hand. For a moment she saw some strange warmth in the look he gave her, but it was replaced by embarrassment too fast for her to be certain that it wasn't her imagination. Knowing how her head worked during migraines it might as well have been Jaheira, looking at her heavily enough for it to be felt. The druidess could do that.

"You're awake?" most-likely-Xan asked. Daria wasn't sure if she was. With horror she realized that she couldn't feel the tingling on her face, which meant the illusion-mask she wore was gone and nothing was covering bags under her eyes. She silently said her farewells to the last shreds of vanity she might had.

"I'm fine" she said. Honestly, she could only feel better if someone cut her head off.

"You're far from 'fine', Daria" Jaheira sat next to Xan. She had a serious look on her face, but deprived of its usual harshness. 'It seems I look pitiable enough to be spared the speech' Daria thought. Even so, she'd rather have her mask on.

"You shouldn't have used your magic for that long. You should have called for rest when you began to feel worn-out. Tiring yourself to death won't help anyone and remember we still have to find our way back." Jaheira stopped when she noticed that it fails to get across to the mage. The druid's lips were just a thin line now. "There's something wrong with your head."

"Is it the only thing I'm going to get for getting us through this ill-fated forest? A transfer to an asylum? Not even 'thank you'?" Daria groaned, feeling her headache getting even worse. She couldn't believe it was possible.

"Jaheira meant it literally I'm afraid." Xan's voice was more pleasant to hear without acknowledging what exactly he said. "Something happens when you abuse your abilities and healing magic can't cure it." He removed the cloth from Daria's forehead, not pleasantly chilly anymore, and placed his hand in its place. His fingers were cold and Daria closed her eyes in relief. "We will prepare you a healing potion, but you have to be more careful." She gave a careful nod under his hand. "Don't use precognition more than absolutely necessary. We can manage without it." Xan took away his palm and she smiled at him.

Jaheira covered Daria tightly with a blanked and they both left her to her rest. Before heading off to prepare the medicine Jaheira stopped the enchanter for a moment.

"How do you do it?"

"Do what?" Xan had a distracted look on his face.

"She listens to you. You're not using any charms on her, are you?" Jaheira asked with suspicion in her voice. She didn't think he did, but Daria _was_ strangely polite when he was around.

"Of course not." Xan looked at the druid with his usual 'doomed' expression. "She values your advice Jaheira, but she's still young and inexperienced, despite what she came through. Give her some time to see wisdom in your words."

Jaheira nodded, but somehow she doubted that Daria would ever be old enough to heed her advice.

***

She tried to take a nap, she really did, but every time her eyes closed, somebody from the camp dropped a pot nosily, or decided to strip from his or her armor as loudly as possible. They already made a fire and set the tents. Daria didn't mind being set for a watch – she couldn't sleep anyway. Finally she gave up and tried to rise to sit.

It wasn't a good idea. Actually it was a very bad one. Her stomach almost decided to give up her food rations for this day when the world began to whirl around her like some sort o sick kaleidoscope. She wanted to lie down, but that would mean moving again. She fought back the tears when another burst of pain exploded in her head.

"My lady, are you all right?" she heard Anomen's voice. She faced one of the most difficult choices in her life. She could send him off and stay the way she was, or she could accept his help. She felt her stomach twisting and realized she doesn't have a choice at all… 'Damsel in distress' it was.

"Help me lie down please" she asked weakly. Now she was never going to make him believe she can survive without help. Somehow the thought of being dependant to anyone made her feel even sicker.

Anomen carefully made her lean against his arms and placed her back on a bedroll. He was a priest after all, he could be careful when he wanted. Daria closed her eyes and took few deep breaths to calm her unsettled stomach. She felt Anomen placing his big hand on her forehead. She felt nauseous again.

"Stop it Anomen." He quickly removed his hand, the smirk of proud knight quickly disappearing. She gave him a hawk-like look she learned from Jaheira.

"I'm sorry my lady, I didn't mean to offend you" he clumsily tried to excuse himself. "I saw that the elf, enchanter…"

"Xan" she assisted with a sigh. He only became more nervous.

"Yes, him doing it and I thought it might help. I'm sorry" he gave her a 'homeless puppy' look.

Daria sighed again. "He has cold palms Anomen. Yours are too warm." How could she tell him that she hates people crying over her and treating her like a porcelain doll? How could she tell him that Xan was a close friend of hers, whom she trusted and knew his good intentions, and he was not? Without hurting his feelings, that is.

"I see…" The priest seemed to consider something for a moment and then uttered something under his breath. He touched Daria's brow again.

"What…?" she mumbled, but suddenly a wave of pleasant warmth spread through her head removing the headache without a trace. Daria felt herself melting like a marshmallow placed near fire. 'Ah hells… Being strong can wait' a thought came instantly.

"It's a pain-soothing spell, my lady. I believe lady Jaheira doesn't know that one." He answered her unfinished question. Daria decided Jaheira must be forewarned of losing her top place on Daria's Favorite Healers Ranking.

"Why do you do it Anomen?" Daria asked, but didn't really want to know. She was only wondering if he would flush and give her the 'camaraderie' excuse, or begin to recite poetry for her.

"I… You remind me of my sister, my lady" Anomen looked away. "I left her with my father when I joined the Order as a squire. My father… My father isn't as good as your Gorion. He's a drunk. I'm worried about Moira." Daria felt guilt nestling in her gut. Since when did she become such a cynical heartless witch? She selfishly took it that it was all about her. And to think she was once like Nalia – a naive idealistic girl, eager to explore the world and help people in need. She wasn't sure if it was a change for better anymore.

"I'm sorry" she squeezed his free hand gently.

"She's a strong one, my sister, and a stubborn one. She doesn't want to leave my father, even at his worse days. I receive letters from her sometimes and I visit her every time I'm near Athkatla." He spoke as if he thought those were only empty excuses he was using to ease his guilt.

"I know you miss her" Daria thought of Imoen, imprisoned somewhere in Cowled Wizards prison, left to her fate, when her friends were struggling to make a deal with her captors.

"My lady…" Anomen began, but was interrupted by Xan appearing with a glass flask in his hands. The enchanter glanced quickly at the priest's hand of Daria's forehead and his other hand covered with hers, before he handled the flask to Anomen.

"She has to drink it all" Xan said and went off to one of the tents.

Daria looked suspiciously at the potion. It had a dirty yellow color and fizzed. And it was made by Jaheira, a devoted supporter of the idea that medications shouldn't be tasty, because it would discourage people from recovering. She was a bit hesitant with drinking it, but then she recalled months in Irenicus' prison, and drained the flask without as much as wincing. And she was happy that she could do it, that there was someone to heal her.

Anomen gently took the empty bottle from her grasp. She realized she was sitting and she didn't feel any dizziness anymore. 'So it's a crystal' she thought, finally noticing the source of the brightness. She looked at Anomen and smiled.

A smile that answered her was neither arrogant, nor proud.


	10. What the Heroes Do

„**What the Heroes Do"**

Daria took a first step carefully balancing her small weight on the decrepit stairs leading into the lower levels of the old temple. All that was left of the ground floor was few barely standing walls, eroded by wind and rain. She hoped that the underground crypts proved to be more durable against the influence of time. It didn't seem like it, though.

She was second to descend the set of ruined stairs they found half-buried under the ground and covered with bushes. The first was Jaheira with flaming sword once again in her hands, lighting the way. Behind her Daria did her best to disperse the darkness with a bright silver Light spell. Few steps behind her in a column a purple Light marked Xan's presence, and further still Nalia's blue spell was uncovering the way for her and Minsc. The corridor following after the stairs was narrow, but filled with sideways passages ending with piles of rubble. They walked in pairs and Daria had to stop herself from checking every side-passage with her divinations, knowing that it would eventually end with another headache. Instead she centered her attention on the shadows struggling to rely on her normal sight.

They faced the first attack upon reaching a large chamber, an empty hall with piles of debris, decayed wood and shattered urns stacked under cracked walls, everything covered in a thick layer of dust. At their entrance two skeletons in rusty armors got up from the ground with sound of snapping joints and centered their empty eye sockets on the invaders. One of them gave an unearthly howl and charged at Jaheira, standing at the lead. The druidess raised the flaming weapon to block the corroded two-handed sword, the blaze burning through ancient metal. Daria hastily got inside to unblock the door for Anomen walking after her. She could hear shadow wolves answering the call of the skeleton further down the corridor, hurrying to stop the invaders. She picked a covered corner of the room and began her spells. Not many of them were needed, when Minsc and Yoshimo joined the battle, assisting Jaheira in smashing skeletons to dust.

Daria gestured the melee fighters to watch out at the other way in to the chamber. The wolves could appear any moment. A holy radiance swathed over the group. Daria glanced at Anomen smiling at her, before he turned to face the danger.

It was quiet. Only straining her hearing to its limits the diviner could hear a soft sound of shadowy paws hitting the stone, coming closer and closer. She stretched her fingers – she hated those moments, when enemy was drawing nearer, but wasn't there yet. She had to be alert and ready, with tension rising every second. She could hear her heart racing in her chest.

A pack of shadow wolves shot from the darkness with ferociousness surpassing any living animal. Their ferocity was promptly reduced however, when Anomen drew his holy symbol of Helm. The priest charged at the undead with a battlecry that put Minsc to shame, and began to smash his way through the shadows. 'Show-off' Daria thought with a smile and sent a slimy ball of grease towards a new group of wolves. The battle was over before Xan and Nalia finished their first Fire Arrow cantrip. Shady forms of the undead animals disappeared into the darkness.

"…help me!" a quiet voice could be heard after the noise of the battle died out. After a hasty search its owner turned out to be a halfling woman, chained in one of the alcoves. She looked battered and starved, but she had a glint of determination in her eyes, betraying a veteran warrior. She was unarmed however and Daria wondered why the shadows left her here alive.

"My name is Mazzy Fen…" the halfling began when Yoshimo unlocked her chains, but Daria interrupted her, finally losing to the urge to use her precognition.

"There's a safe spot at the end of corridor, behind the corner. We'll talk when we get there." Daria could 'see' an irritated look Jaheira gave her behind her back, probably just a prelude for another speech about controlling the visions, but decided to ignore it. She knew she's not going to lead her team straight into ambush ever again.

The 'safe spot' was a circular room with a spectacular hole in the ceiling. It wasn't the first thing they noticed upon entering however. The first thing was a sun gem, as Mazzy named it, located on a pedestal in the middle. It was an appropriate name, as the precious stone was shining with inner light that could challenge the sun's glow. It was more than just a beautiful decoration however, as the team found out when one of the dark inhabitants of the temple tried to follow them inside. After a spectacular flash of white ray of sunshine all that was left of the unfortunate shadow was a smudge on the dusty floor. Daria noticed there were many such smudges around the pedestal.

"My name is Mazzy Fentan and I'm a warrior in service of Arvoreen. Thank you for rescuing me." The halfling woman still wore a simple chainmail and an empty sword belt, but her weapon was gone. Shadows weren't famous of their knowledge about keeping live prisoners and Mazzy looked like she went through hell and back.

"What are you doing here? Why did these aberrations kept you alive?" Jaheira didn't wait to find out, eager to skip the prologue.

"Later, Jaheira. We're safe here now – we should have a break." Daria tossed her pack by the crumbling wall.

The team was rested, but Mazzy eagerly accepted the offer to share rations and equipment. Nalia lent her a short sword she seldom used, after hearing it was small warrior's first choice weapon, while Minsc and Anomen repaired the gaps in her armor as much as they could. In exchange Mazzy told them about the Shadowlord, who took over the temple, once dedicated to Amaunator, the god of sun. It turned out that Mazzy and her team was hired by the mayor of Imnesvale with the same quest as Daria's party, but they managed to learn more. They met a werewolf named Anath, once a leader of the local pack of wolves, which was now devoured by the Shadowlord and served him as minions. Anath told them about the source of the plague of darkness slowly swallowing the area and led them to the temple. Mazzy's voice quivered a little when she told her saviors about an encounter with a black dragon, guarding the way to the desecrated altar, the gate to the plane of shadows. All her companions, even her beloved, fell by the beast's claws and were turned into undead, as all fallen close to the portal. The only reason the halfling was kept alive was that she was chosen to by the Shadowlord's 'consort', a mortal body allowing him to exist in material plane. The current carrier was Merella, the lost ranger of Imnesvale.

After hearing her saviors are in the ruins for the same reason, the halfling warrior agreed to join them to defeat the Shadowlord. Her first advice was to take the sun gem from the pedestal, even though it would weaken its power considerably – the hole in the ceiling turned out to be a part of system illuminating the whole temple, enhanced with magic. Only traces of the spells remained and it was but a minor annoyance to a small army of undead inhabiting the halls. Nevertheless the gems could help in breaching the walls of shadows, impenetrable barriers made of darkness they were bound to encounter sooner or later. Mazzy claimed to have breached most of them, but some still remained and could pose a serious problem.

With Mazzy as a guide the team was making its way through the tunnels steadily. Dark halls smelling with rot were full of old relics and symbols of worship, statues showing different interpretations of the same deity, broken vases and crumbled pillars. Some of the antique magic systems remained active throughout the ages and were a help in frequent skirmishes with shadows. The team was actually only becoming a 'team' – previously it was not much more than a group of people fighting together. In the troll-infested keep, they were fighting separately, uncoordinated and though it was the only way to survive in tight passages of de'Arnise Keep, during the massive attacks of shadows some measure of synchronization was essential. And so Daria found herself once again spending more time trying to keep everyone safe and covered, than actually spellcasting. She was dividing her attention between scanning a place of a battle and directing magical support Nalia and Xan provided to aid the most pressed melee fighters. It would take some time before everybody learned their place, but before that her role as a leader was indispensable.

In addition she had a chance to give her standard divination show, when after another clash with undead a big stone head asked them to complete a ritual used ages ago to honor Amaunator and activate the defenses of the temple. Daria learned a lot about her divining powers through past year – she didn't even try to look part all these centuries. Instead she focused on the last person, who performed the rite. It wasn't the right path either and she quickly corrected herself focusing on the last person, who performed the rite _and wasn't burned to a crisp_. She flinched slightly at the smell of the burned flesh she couldn't feel, but could recall and politely asked Jaheira for a protection from fire before reciting the words of a ritual. She trusted her abilities, but it wasn't a kind of trust she would die for. She did manage to impress Mazzy and received another sun gem however.

He dragon was more than just a mild reason to be concerned. Daria never encountered anything bigger than a wyvern, but back in Candlekeep her favorite tales were about those giant lizards, breathing fire or steam, gathering treasures throughout centuries and eventually falling, slain by mighty heroes. She wondered whether she would see the famous piles of gold and jewels, or this time they would be forced to do the 'mighty heroes' part. Wasn't it what the heroes do? Saving maidens, defeating dragons and rescuing villages? It wouldn't be bad to create her own 'dragon slaying' tale, but she didn't fancy to be burned, frozen or whatever black dragons did.

It didn't come to that however, as on their way to the lair of dragon they met a ghost of a girl, not much older than ten, named Amauna. For rescuing her bones from jaws of shadow wolves they were returned with a gem, black this time, that had the power to hide them from the dragon's sight. A pool of lava, another few riddles and some dead, or at least deader, shadows further they finally reached the lair and Daria could sate her curiosity.

They were warned by Mazzy upon entering the large antechamber so they clenched in a small group, Yoshimo holding the black jewel standing in the middle. All lighting spells were dimmed and elves and one halfling took their human companions by hands to lead them. Daria raised her eyes to look at the dragon. And then raised them higher realizing she's looking at its knee. She closed her mouth when she realized it's open.

The beast was beautiful, though she wouldn't admit that aloud, not with such a constricted throat. Thousands of scales were covering its whole body, creating an armor shining with inner glow, the darkest and most terrifying kind of glow. It looked as if it was wearing its own shade and after wrestling all day through countless twisted tunnels filled with shadows it wasn't a pleasant association. The eyes of the dragon were much more terrible though. An unblinking gaze of the beast was centered on a hill not far south, bizarre shade of yellow with reptilian pupils had strength of penetration comparable to… nothing Daria ever saw. She made an involuntary step back at the thought of those eyes centered on her. She felt someone's foot under hers.

"Don't even think about fighting this thing" she heard a soft whisper next to her ear, so close she could feel a breath on her skin.

"Fighting? This thing? I can't even imagine how" she whispered back to Xan. She wanted to move forward, but her legs ignored her wishes, frozen with dread. She hoped nobody noticed the prolonged moment of hesitation, when she began to circle the dragon's lair at last.

The group stayed so close together that they were actually stepping on each other's feet while marching towards the exit. The mostly ruined stone arc leading outdoors, into the forest, was wide enough for the whole team to pass, but not big enough for the dragon, and Daria couldn't help but wonder how the lizard got inside the chamber. It certainly wasn't going to leave any time soon, at least not without ruining the whole construction. Another paved road began by the arc, but it was in no better shape than the previous one. It led upward, to the hill so stoically observed by the great lizard. No one said as much as a word when the crooked trees of the gloom forest rose around them once again. Daria's only thought was to get as far as possible from the dragon and judging by the looks, the others' thoughts weren't all that different. Only Mazzy seemed controlled in face of the monster which annihilated her entire party. Her unwavering stance was an inspiration to everyone surrounding her and soon the team slowed the pace preparing for the fight with the source of the corruption of the Umar hills. They were already tired after their struggles in the underground, but resting between a draconic guardian and a dark master of an army of shadows wasn't actually an option. Their only alternative was to press forward.

Daria was considering scouting the hill with her precognition, but she recognized the presence she felt since her first 'look' around. If it was the Shadowlord, and she had all means to suspect it was, than wrestling him on his own playground was more than she believed she was capable of. 'Killing myself won't help anyone' she thought, before realizing she began to sound like Jaheira. 'Damn it'.

After shielding themselves with all the few spells they had left, they emerged at the top of the hill. Mazzy surprised them with few blessings she casted to enhance her speed and strength. 'An aura of confidence, blessings, leader of a party… Warrior in service of Arvoreen, yeah right. She should have told us plainly that she's a paladin.' Daria was angry at herself for only noticing it now. 'She probably turns undead as well'.

Minsc and Mazzy lead the front, a tall berserk and a halfling woman creating a strange contrast, Yoshimo hiding in the darkness next to them, imperceptible even for shadows, which was telling something about his skills. Anomen and Jaheira were the second line providing backup with nature's or Helm's gifts. The last went the mages - Nalia clutching tightly her crossbow was left without any effective combat spells and all Xan had memorized were his enchantments, mostly useless against the undead. Only Daria had some reserves, but her damaged hands could decide otherwise any time.

It was eerie quiet on a small square on the top of the hill. It must have been a glorious place once, rising above the level of the trees, facing the sun. Ground was covered in broken tiles, which must have been shining in countless shades of yellow and gold, composing into a mosaic illustrating the sun, were there any illumination. Now it was no more than few piles of crumbled stone, not one lonely spark of brightness making its way between the reflecting layers. In the central point of dark mosaic stood a dark portal to plane of shadow – the altar. A golden statue was covered in something denser than any shadow, blacker than any darkness. There was nothing holy in it anymore - it was completely defiled in slow process that brought formerly magnificent sanctuary of sun-worshippers to its ruined and corrupted state. Daria began to articulate the words of Fireball spell.

Her words broke the silence weighting over the hill like a material barrier. A shriek, high and piercing, erupted from unknown source, stirring the shadows and awakening the forest. An invisible tide bent the leafless trees, their branches reaching toward the hill. Daria lost her concentration for a split second, but managed to hold on to her incantation keeping her eyes centered at the black altar. Simple Light evocations blinked and disappeared – the only source of illumination left was the last sun gem they found in the temple, held by Yoshimo.

The shriek rang in Daria's ears long after it ended, throughout the silence that came after it. She was repeating words of spell she knew by heart bit by bit, her gloved hands moving along the rhythm. She barely kept to the spell, when a sudden wave of stench almost made her choke.

"You brought more mortals to join my army, my chosen. I should thank you." The voice was an unnerving hiss, provoking and sarcastic, inhuman. Daria didn't look at its owner, concentrating on her magic, but from the gasps of her companions she imagined it wasn't nice to look at.

"You will not corrupt any more innocent souls, demon! I will ensure that you won't" Mazzy gave in to her emotions at last. She watched the Shadowlord with pure hatred showing on her face.

"Careful, dearest! You are meant to be my…" the thing never named what Mazzy was meant to be, as this moment a smoking fireball passed in an arc inches from its torso and hit the altar with a loud thunder making it shake on its golden foundation. Daria finally took a look at the powerful undead.

'By gods, it is ugly' was her first thought. The undead was closed in a form of half-elven ranger Merella, but her body was already showing signs of advanced decay. Her skin was of a color of tattered scroll, but her eyes, dark as the deepest pits of hell were drawing the most attention. Evil incarnated, but into body of an innocent protector of Imnesvale. Daria felt only revulsion towards the hideous creature. She began to cast another fireball meaning to destroy the altar utterly.

The Shadowlord began his own spell, but was quickly interrupted by Minsc and Mazzy. One enemy was nothing against their joined forces, but one enemy turned into hundred within moments, when the dark forest surrounding the hill spawned dark silhouettes of both men and wolves, answering the cry of their maker climbing the hill with their pawns of feet. Jaheira summoned a pair of panthers to aid them in stopping the black flood, but she was only buying her time to destroy the altar. Whether destroying it would banish the shadows was a different matter.

"Join us, Mazzy!" a voice broke through a sea of whispers and howls.

"Patrick!" Mazzy seemed to recognize one of the undead, but she was engaged in battle with the Shadowlord and couldn't afford losing concentration. Tears appeared in halfling's eyes as she dodged another attack of an incorporeal limb. She countered with renewed determination, slicing through half-material form. Anomen was doing his best to fend off as many opponents as he could, but his strength was waning rapidly. Another fireball ripped of a half of the statue, but portal remained open. The Shadowlord howled in pain, the sound sending shivers down Daria's spine. Minsc left his defense slashing through injured undead master and almost cleaving it in half. The final wail of the powerful monster brought only more chaos among its army, pushing the shadows to attack ever more ferociously.

The situation was becoming desperate. Both of Jaheira's summons has already joined the ranks of the enemy, becoming undead under shadow's chilling touch. Even though Mazzy and Minsc charged to help fend off the army, the party was slowly being pushed back closer and closer to the portal.

Daria was making her way through the last Fireball spell she prepared for today. 'If this is won't tear down this cursed thing, than nothing will' she thought with desperate determination. She was fighting with her hurting fingers bending and moving them despite the pain. She wasn't going to fail like that, bringing doom to her friends in the critical moment. Cold touches of shadows were stealing from her last reserves of strength every time one of them slipped through cover warriors provided and the familiar numb feeling was returning, but she cut herself from it, focusing on the spell. 'I'm not going to bite the ground again. I've had enough of this for an entire month' she made herself clear. Her heart almost stopped when she heard a body – material body – falling on the ground, but she continued the recitation. Upon completing the fireball, she made out another thud of someone armored falling, but the orb of blazing element already shot from her outstretched palms hitting the stone. It exploded in unusual color of gold and annihilated the dark mantle from Amaunator's statue. The portal was gone.

She turned to face the tide of darkness just in time to see Nalia falling down to her knees. Daria's world stopped for a second seeing Xan and Jaheira were lying on the ground motionless with Minsc shielding them, great swings of Sword of Chaos only barely keeping the undead at bay. The Rashemi ranger has suffered many hits however, and though his rage was shielding him from the undying chill, just as he was shielding his friends from the shadows, his strength was not infinite. Anomen and Yoshimo were protecting Nalia, while Mazzy tried to deal as much damage as she could, but they were vastly outnumbered.

'So this is the end…' Daria thoughts drifted to Imoen. 'Sis will never be rescued…' The elf forced her face to look like a stone mask and picked Jaheira's quarterstaff from the ground.

"For Corellon Larethian! For Labelas Enoreth!" she shouted and attacked. Nonmagical wood was going through the shadowy forms without doing any damage, but she had no effective spells left, and so struck again and again despite the weakness worming its way to her very bones. It was better than just standing, waiting for death. She hoped she wasn't crying. She hoped she wasn't going to die with tears in her eyes.

"For Labelas…!" she screamed again losing her breath.

A ray of light penetrated the dark cloud and hit her eyes blinding her for few seconds. It did much more to the shadow wolf she fought and soon to all the undead attackers. More and more rays of sunshine penetrated through the shroud, like arrows piercing through the lines of shadowy army, drawing an unearthly howl from hundreds of undead throats. Monsters were scattering to escape their doom, but couldn't find cover between leafless trees or ruined walls. They died in hundreds, wailing and howling with their undead throats.

When the elven diviner regained her sight she stood on an empty hill, illuminated by the warm glow of the setting sun, her companions standing nearby, equally dazzled.

The elven mage lowered her head before the live symbol of her god and hurried to help her friends.


	11. A Dark Dream

„**A Dark Dream"**

The sun was setting slowly, seemingly waiting for adventurers to use its glow to regain some of their lost strength. The unconscious members of the party were severely weakened, but fortunately still alive. Anomen had to use up all his healing spells for Xan and Jaheira to come round. Mazzy joined him with her curative blessings, confirming Daria's suspicions about halfling being a paladin, but elven diviner also had an ace hidden up her sleeve. Her minor healing abilities, coming from her unusual heritage, put Nalia on her feet swiftly enough and raised few eyebrows. Nonetheless the patients were still weak and there wasn't much of a space to argue about the place of their rest. It was already dark, only small sign of the end of sun's journey glowing by the horizon, when the camp was finally set on the top of the hill and Merella's body buried by the altar.

Daria was weary after hours of tearing through tunnels and fighting, but she compelled her body to one more effort. She made a round through the camp, checking up on everyone, mostly asleep, covered with blankets on their bedrolls. Xan was deep in his reverie, his hand still clutching his new spellbook, acquired from one of the merchants in Imnesvale. Daria kept a matching tome in her pack, replacing her previous one, lost in the dungeon. She smiled at the thought that they shared at least this small thing. Jaheira was mumbling something in her sleep, as well as Nalia, and Minsc began his usual snoring. Only Anomen was laying peacefully, small smile curling his lips as he slept. Mazzy went to pray by the remnants of Amaunator's altar, but also fell to the lure of sleep. Daria covered her in a blanket, leaving her to her dreams. Yoshimo was the only one who avoided weakening by the shadows' touch, because of the repelling sun gem he held in his free hand during the battle. He was sitting by the fire, rearranging his tools with stoical care. Daria sat on the other end of the campfire, joining him on the first watch.

She felt warmth in her heart looking at her party, her only family left. They all survived, they succeeded in saving the village. She pitied Mazzy for not being able to say the same. To lose everybody, to see her beloved ones changed into foul undead… she wouldn't endure something like that. These few people sleeping in the camp were her only reason to go on, to live. Should they die… there would be nothing.

Because of this Daria fought the need of sleep, willing to guard her family through the night, despite the tiredness. But there was also another reason for staying awake, she realized, when she raised her eyes at the firmament. A reason shining with silver, rising in a clear night sky - a bright full moon, symbol of Sehanine Moonbow, herald of the time most favorable to diviners. For Daria, sign of the worst three nights in a month.

It was a time when her powers were at its peak, yes, but it was also the time when her dreams were clouded with reflections of the strongest emotions experienced, or yet to come. And the strongest emotions usually meant pain, fear and shock, since the time her foster-father was killed upon leaving Candlekeep. She didn't know what her mind had in stock for her after Irenicus' tortures and didn't want to find out. She took her spellbook from her pack trying the best she could to be quiet, despite that even a dragon storming their small encampment would most probably fail to wake her resting friends. She realized she forgot to check whether the large beast had any treasures to sleep on, after seeing its size. It wasn't that she would try to steal anything, since she did value her life more than gold, but curiosity remained.

'I'll check the next time I see a dragon' she decided, before leaning over her spellbook to prepare new spells.

***

She was lying on a floor, side her face pressed to a cold stone. The campfire was gone and she couldn't see any of her friends around. A quick surge of panic raised her heartrate, when she realized that she has no idea where she was or how she got there. She tried to get up, but some strange burden weighted down her limbs, making it impossible to as much as move a finger. She couldn't move her neck to fully view and recognize the place, but she had few horrible suspicions about where she was. Something was moving around her, back and forth, a presence unrecognizable in a dim twilight.

And someone was standing in front of her, only few steps away, but she couldn't see who it was without moving her head. Something akin to a shadow, only without the light source, looming over her betrayed the humanoid form.

She nearly yelped in surprise as something cold touched her bare foot and hastily withdrew. The contact was short, but she could feel that the thing, the presence, was not only cold, but disgustingly evil, corrupted to the very core. She was no saint, but such a corruption was opposing everything she ever fought for, it was everything she feared to become. When a cold tentacle once again caught her foot, this time not letting go, she desperately tried to wiggle away from its grasp, but managed only to bend her neck to see the person standing over her.

It was Xan, looking at her, his face full of hurt. He was beyond the reach of her arms, even if she could move them and it looked as if he was keeping this distance on purpose. A moment of shock resulted in another wicked tentacle seizing her other foot. She tried to ask for help, but her throat was as useless as the rest of her body, crushed under invisible weight. Both tentacles were crawling on her skin, two more clutching her hands. She couldn't fight, couldn't scream when the darkness, which the dark limbs originated from, began to cover her, soaking through her skin to her veins, aiming for the heart. She couldn't even cry with disgust, when her spirit was being defiled, dark taint leaving an irremovable mark.

All this time Xan was watching her motionless, looking into her eyes, as if searching for something hidden from his sight. But when Daria tried to reach him, moving her hand only few inches, he broke his gaze, turned around and began walking, never looking back, toward a city looming in the distance. He stopped once as if considering, but continued his march despite a moment of deliberation. She tried to call him and make him stay, to save her before the darkness consumes her completely, but couldn't even whisper. She tried harder, more desperately, feeling the evil now burning like a tar through her, changing her into something she'd rather die than become. Hatred, anger and revulsion were throttling her, dark tar filling her mouth, plastered to her skin. She was losing her identity, she couldn't hold on to her memories and feelings. Drowning in dark liquid, dragged down by revolting tentacles she almost gave up, when only a tiniest thread was linking her to what she truly was, but suddenly she felt somebody pulling her from this hell, ending her torment, saving her. She didn't remember anything anymore, her mind erased in the depth of evil, and couldn't see an ebony-black hand holding hers, leading her back to the light.

***

Daria woke up lying on a blanket, still unable to move. Only after a moment she realized she was pinned to the ground, held down by Minsc and Yoshimo. She felt completely devoid of any energy, sweated and shaking, but managed to look at her party gathered around her. Judging by the frightened and shocked looks on their faces she must have given quite a show during her nightmare. Nightmare… She probably fell asleep while studying her spellbook, after Mazzy came to take the second watch. She didn't have any rest, plus she woke up everybody else. She always knew that it was a bad idea for her to become a leader. Her only skill in uniting people made them wake up simultaneously in the middle of the night. Minsc and Yoshimo let go of her arms and legs and she curled into a ball, pressing knees to her forehead.

"What happened? Daria, what did you see?" Jaheira put her hand on elf's shoulder.

"Don't touch me!!!" hysteria took over in Daria's voice at the memory of vile tentacles and darkness emerging to seize her once more. The warm fire of the camp disappeared before her eyes, replaced by the grim images from her dream. She tried to back away from the dark monsters, not strong enough to stand on her own.

"Don't!!! Don't…" she was struggling to catch her breath, fear clenching her throat. She felt people surrounding her, though she couldn't see them in the darkness. She raised her arms to protect herself, despair taking over.

"Please, just leave me alone" she begged weakly.

"Daria look at me." She compelled involuntarily. Xan was in her vision, pained expression still on his face, only this time he looked more determined.

"You are safe." He muttered a spell silently. Daria recognized a charm, but couldn't guess why he would use his enchantments now.

"No one is going to hurt you. You are among friends" he continued. His voice was calm and mesmerizing, delicate, but deafening all sounds of her vision. Daria felt torn between her fears and desire to follow it.

"Wake up, mellonamin. Wake up, my friend" the pull was becoming stronger and she closed her eyes, flowing with the current. She relaxed completely feeling something soft under her head and gave up to a dreamless sleep.

***

Her second awakening was much more pleasant, if a bit awkward. The sun was already high above the horizon when she opened her eyes to meet a peculiar view. All her party was stepping on tip toes, bustling around the camp like ants. She watched with amazement the quietest putting on armor ever, performed by Minsc, Jaheira being hushed up by Nalia and Anomen trying to gather his pack, without moving in his clinking armor. She tried to stay motionless taming irrational laugher at her friends' efforts to stay silent. One person was missing however – Xan was nowhere to be seen and she realized why, the moment she began to wonder what this conformable pillow under her head was. She shifted her head to look up and found the missing enchanter.

'It has to be another dream' she thought, realizing her head was resting on his lap. He was reading his spellbook, placed on the ground next to him, but looked at her at the sudden movement.

'I dream about future and past, and it can't be…' Daria felt her face reddening. 'It's not possible. I'm not blushing. I never blush!'

Xan was slightly pink himself, but placed his hand on her forehead, checking the temperature. He opened his mouth to say something, but probably couldn't think about anything coherent and closed it.

Daria's stomach twisted when she tried to recall what happened, leading to her current state. The last thing she remembered was the nightmare, falling and being drown in darkness. She sat down and tried to set some distance between herself and Xan before she vomited everything she ate last afternoon. She already ruined his robe once, long time ago, and that was enough. Someone held back her hair, but Daria closed her eyes tightly, letting the body do what it had to. From the familiar smell of the herbs she recognized it was Jaheira reaching for her to help.

Daria inhaled slowly and forced the nightmare out of her thoughts. She was getting better at ignoring everything painful – all she had to do is focus on the present and don't look back. Or forth. She stopped Jaheira trying to use her healing spells and rose to her feet. All activity in the camp stopped and all eyes turned towards her.

"I'm fine" elven diviner said. As always nobody seemed to believe her.

"'Fine' people aren't that green, my friend" Yoshimo smirked.

Jaheira tried to check her temperature, but Daria drew back. She felt uncomfortable feeling somebody touching her bare skin and the druidess for once didn't want to pry.

"I need to go clean myself. Will you be ready to depart in ten minutes?" Daria looked around the camp, avoiding Jaheira's disapproving look. She knew she's avoiding questions, but since the vision was most likely about the past, relating it couldn't be of any use for them, right? The tents were gone, fire extinguished and packs… packed. Nothing kept them from setting off from the hill.

Daria took her water flask and went into the forest, keeping her eyes peeled to the ground.

***

Going back through the forest was much easier without unholy shroud covering the view, shadow wolves attacking every few steps and uncertainty weighting over their heads. Trees were budding with amazing speed all around them, as if happy to be able to unleash their energy after long time of being suppressed by the dark magic of the portal, and before an hour of walking they were surrounded by a living green forest instead of the dark and dead place they crossed before. It seemed as if a blessing of a long lost god was still shining like the sun over the area, protecting all life within. Daria wished she could forget everything and enjoy being connected with nature, but instead she felt out of place, a false tone in a harmonic song of life. She felt too hot clad in cloak, hood covering her face, even her hands hidden in gloves, but decided to stay this way until she gets used to another horrible memory stashed at the back of her head.

She had to analyze her vision however, in attempt to understand its meaning. The twilight place was most likely Irenicus' dungeon, as she could feel the well-known aura surrounding the mage, making her mad with fear every time he got close. If it was her prison then the darkness and tentacles could symbolize the tortures and madman's ravings about 'unleashing her potential'. But what Xan was doing in her vision? He left the party before they were captured. The city looming in the distance… Could it be Evereska? He looked saddened... Maybe he felt upset because of leaving the party to such fate? The only pleasant thing about the nightmare was that it was showing a part of the past. Visions of future could be even nastier, since they tended to come true in the worst possible moments.

She was given a wide space - none of her companions approached her yet, and she wondered how bad must have her nightmare sounded for her to be shunned like that. She wanted to know, but didn't want to tell anything herself, and to do that she couldn't ask Jaheira nor Xan. Anomen would make it a point on his honor to pull everything out of her and Yoshimo could trick her into saying more than she wanted. No, to get her answers she had to corner Nalia.

An occasion presented itself when one of the straps of young noblewoman's pack came loose. Daria came up to her and fastened it, but remained by her side walking along.

"I'm sorry I woke you up tonight. My nightmares are getting worse it seems." Daria began casually, starting a conversation.

"Don't worry about it. It happens sometimes" Nalia was fidgeting nervously. She obviously didn't see something like that happening. This did not bode well.

"The worst part is that I don't remember what was happening" Daria continued expecting Nalia to get her meaning.

"You were asleep. It's natural you can't remember anything." Guess Nalia wasn't into subtle. She started fidgeting even worse.

"But you saw the whole thing. How bad was it?" It was time for straightforward approach. If this won't work Daria could try being nice, though it was too early for such drastic measures.

"You really want to hear it?" Nalia wasn't sure she wants to say it, but she continued after receiving a nod. "Well… I only woke up when you began screaming, but Jaheira and Xan were already up. The elves have sharper senses, is that right?" she looked as if expecting confirming. None came. "…right. Anyway, you were tossing from side to side and Jaheira was afraid you may hurt yourself, and she told Yoshimo to hold you, he was awake, you see, because she and Xan were still weak and couldn't hold you." Nalia stopped to take a breath. "And then Minsc woke up and held you to the ground, and you began to scream quieter and quieter, and then fell silent, and we were afraid that maybe you stopped breathing." She took another breath pause. "But you woke up and Jaheira tried to ask you what happened, but you screamed again and tried to back away, but then Xan came to you and did something - I think he used a charm - and you fell asleep." Nalia finished her tale taking few deep breaths. It seemed she wanted to get over with it as fast as possible.

"And then?" Daria was interested in the fallowing part the most. Nothing so far explained how she ended up where she woke up.

"Then we took you closer to the fire, because you were very cold" Nalia carried on more reluctantly. "And Xan held you and said he would watch out, so you wouldn't have more nightmares, and I went back to my bedroll."

"And why are you all so nervous?"

"You were yelling horribly, like you were being skinned alive…or worse." There was authentic fear in Nalia's voice. But then again she didn't have much experience with Daria's visions. Truth to be told she didn't have much experience with anything apart from being a noble. "And you were screaming for help and crying, and when you were beginning to sound weaker it was really terrifying, like you were dying in your dream. And you were calling Xan's name all the time, pleading for help" Daria felt like she was splashed with freezing water. "…and he tried to wake you and talk to you, but you didn't hear it."

That certainly was bad. She saw him in her dream and tried to call for his help, but should she know she would be heard, she'd bit her tongue and let the tentacles drag her to the lowest pits of Nine Hells without saying a word. She didn't realize it was a dream until it was over unfortunately.

"Thank you for telling me Nalia" she walked of, distracted, unaware of a worried glance she received from her.

Avoiding Xan would only lead her that far. She couldn't ignore the whole episode, otherwise he could get the wrong idea, that she blames him for something, or that something horrible was going to happen. And she owed him for that charm. And the few times he saved her life by the way. He cared for her, even if not in the way she wanted, and it must have been unpleasant to hear her like that. But what could she do? He was walking ahead of her, alone, and she caught him looking at her with concern. She could apologize at least. Apologizing was a good way to start.

"I'm sorry I woke you up tonight" Daria unknowingly began the second conversation the same way, but without the casual tone this time. "Nalia told me I was calling you in my nightmare. I didn't mean to cause any distress." Xan looked at her with resignation and sighed.

"You should care more about yourself instead of worrying needlessly about me. Your visions got much worse since Baldur's Gate. You have every reason to be concerned."

"It wasn't that bad…" Actually it wasn't the vision that was bad. It was the past it was showing that was, and there was nothing that could be done about it. It was like blaming a mirror for what it showed.

"Believe me, it was" he made a gesture as if he wanted to hold her hand, but reconsidered, recalling how she reacted when Jaheira tried to touch her. "I know it must be hard for you, and I don't want to put pressure on you, but maybe you would feel better if you told me what you saw?"

"I'd rather not, if you don't mind." It could be important, as were some of her divinations from time to time, but this one wasn't, she knew it.

"Daria, do not doom yourself any further. You went through a lot, but you have friends to help you recover. I will always hear you out, should you need it, as long as I am still breathing that is. A pointless as all wishing is, I would rather meet my doom before witnessing yours. You shouldn't close yourself for your friends' help."

"I can't see how stirring such things could be of any help. It was a vision of a past and let it stay this way." She tried to sound harsh, with moderate effect. For once she wanted to keep something for herself, rebel against this influence he had on her.

"Daria…" he looked as if he was to say something more.

"Please Xan, leave it be." She hastened her pace leaving him behind, making him wonder what was the past that haunted her so much.


	12. What the Heroes Get

„**What the Heroes Get"**

The afternoon began to change into evening when to party finally emerged over the last hill sheltering Imnesvale from the woods surrounding the long forgotten temple. Daria was the first to enter the village and to be greeted by the mayor forewarned of their arrival by those who saw them coming down from the forest. The chubby man looked uncertain whether the disappearance of the dark shroud was permanent and so were the rest of the townspeople. News traveled fast however, and apparently they could do so even without the help of gossipers, because mere minutes passed after the party left mayor's house, where they gave a detailed account of their actions in the temple, when a huge celebration, for a small village's capabilities at least, in honor of the new heroes began. Suddenly the best rooms were available to be resided by them, free of charge, and even the ever-scowling merchants began to smile. The remaining barrels, bottles and other containers were opened, along with all windows and doors much to Daria's delight. It looked as if the town began to breathe again after a month of living in terror.

The sun elf made her way to the bar, receiving numerous handshakes and pats, leaving her party to find their place in the world for themselves. Jaheira was there already of course. She knew her ward well and easily predicted what she's going to do.

"Ah, Jaheira. I was wondering if you could check out our new rooms for any bugs?" Daria gave her a practiced smile, a fruitless attempt to distract the druidess.

"I know what you are planning to do and I don't like it." Jaheira predictably ignored the question.

"Me neither" that wasn't a complete lie. She didn't enjoy what she was going to do. "But I'm not going to go through that vision again and that's the only way I won't, without staying awake whole night."

"Maybe if you told us what was your nightmare about that could be avoided."

"It was from Irenicus' dungeon." That silenced Jaheira. The druidess told her she witnessed some of the tortures Daria suffered, but she never pushed, or even mentioned anything related with it. Daria didn't know whether it was caused by fear or concern, but suspected the former. She didn't blame her. She could only feel the same were the situation different.

"At least wait until I come back" Jaheira said, her harsh expression disappearing, replaced by a softer one, but still far from soft.

"Alright, mum" Daria answered without a thought. Jaheira haven't as much as blinked an eye on her new nickname, but something appeared in her eyes, something too warm and welcoming to be annoyance. She left without saying another word, climbing the stairs leading to their rooms.

The diviner took an empty seat by the bar and ordered the strongest ale the bartender offered. She was treated with some poor choice jests about a fragile girl drinking strong alcohols, but received her drink nonetheless. She slowly began to gulp down the bitter liquid.

It was Jaheira's only defeat on the field of potion making. None of the salves or extracts she prepared, no matter how complicated or rare, could achieve what few cups common alcohol drinks could – block any divining capabilities Daria had. The side effects were mostly unpleasant however and included gigantic hangover the next day, loss of party's funds, being to blame for revealing few personal secrets of various party members and on one occasion - burned hands from attempting to take a grip at the Moonblade. And so the party developed a way to deal with such situations - every time the full moon was rising on the night's sky and Daria sat by the bar, the rest of the party draw lots in taking watch, taking sits close enough to keep an eye on the drunk elf, but not enough to overheard what she's saying. When Daria, or more often her guardian, decided she had enough, she was taken to her room, where she could sleep her dreamless slumber in peace.

Daria noticed someone moving towards her, but relaxed seeing it wasn't Jaheira. The druidess always insisted on her to at least restrain herself from the strongest alcohols, but the diviner preferred to be done with it quickly, instead of mulling over her drinks for half of the night.

"My lady, this is a very strong ale! Did the bartender get you this?" It was Anomen. He sat on a chair next to her beginning the 'protective male' talk.

"No, I ordered it." She felt she needs to explain herself seeing his uncertain look. "I need to get myself… more than tipsy if I want to avoid nightmares. There are still two more nights of full moon ahead and it's the worst time for me to sleep."

"I understand…" He appeared to be a bit distraught by this information, but last night's events made it clear that the matter was not to be taken lightly. "But, my lady, is there no other way to do that? Surely there are some counter-spells that could achieve the same result".

"None that I know of." She suddenly realized the reason of his distress recalling what he mentioned about his father. She tried to think of something to say to put him at ease. No enlightening came. She sighed.

"I'll be alright, but I don't want to endure another vision. Go and have some fun" she said, before realizing her mistake. No paladin would go and have fun, leaving a damsel in 'misery'. But Anomen was no knight at the moment and he complied with doubt written on his face. Daria saw a blurry image of the priest in his childhood years, standing before his father, but the portion of the ale she drunk already kicked in and the vision faded like a blown candle light before she could distinguish anything else. She watched him pushing his way back through the crowd.

She took a look around the mass of people gathered in the inn. Xan was sitting by the fireplace watching her with his usual gloomy expression – it seemed to be his turn on 'guard'. Minsc began to relate the tale of their adventure, 'herolising' it along the way, Nalia doing the same, cornered by the Imnesvale children. Mazzy was probably upstairs, not in a mood to celebrate victory. Others were nowhere to be seen and Daria decided that she would not be disturbed anymore. She gestured for another drink.

***

The inn was twisting strangely each time she moved her head, even if she changed place only a little. She shifted back and forth trying different combinations, looking at the common room from different perspectives, but stopped when she nearly fell from her chair. How could she be already so drunk? She was wondering. She only drank one pint of ale when the bartender brought her a strange drink in an odd little glass. She suspected it was pure water and that the barkeep wanted to con her, thinking she was drunk already, but changed her mind after trying the colorless liquid. It burned her throat like fire, but she gulped it down feeling tears coming to her eyes. She gestured for another one.

She didn't drink that much of the weird water. Most certainly less than the previous ale.

"Hello there lass" she barely distinguished the source of the words in the whirling inn. It seemed to be one of three villagers, who approached her secluded corner at the end of the counter. Or it could be one of the bottles talking. She thought the men probably had their share of the strange water too.

"You must feel pretty lonely in here" the biggest one gave her a grin. He missed few teeth. He was leaning his face so close to her that she could feel his oh-not-so-fresh breath on her face. The two others stood on her both sides, effectively cutting off any source of fresh air.

"You're starting with a hero of Imnesvale here, boys" the barkeep butted in. He was polishing a dirty glass with even dirtier rag, an universal sign of every tavern.

"It's a lot to say – hero" Daria articulated slowly. She hated all stammering and mumbling usually connected with drinking. "All we did was killing a ho-orde of bloodthirsty sha-adow monsters and blo-owing up a portal to their dark world" she snapped her fingers producing a tiny fireball, scorching few inches above her hand. All three men instantly took a step back. A drunken mage was another universal sign – a sign of trouble. Behind them stood Xan, his hand resting on the Moonblade hilt. They simultaneously decided they had something important to do right away.

"One more clear water, please" Daria threw a hopeful look at the barkeep. A fireball fell from between her fingers, luckily not hitting anything alive.

"I think you had enough for tonight." Xan moved his hand from his sword and sighed. It was his turn to get her to her room now. It was his bad luck that he was usually the one to drag the half-conscious sun elf to her room, listening about his companions' childhood crimes and trying to forget everything.

"Hi Xan!" She waved her hand before his face, earning another resigned sigh. "Would you like to have a drink with me?" she tried to sound well-mannered, pointing a chair previously occupied by Anomen, or rather a piece of floor where she thought the chair was.

"No, and you don't need any more either. Come on." The enchanter firmly took her by the arm. She threw a longing glance at the bar, but Xan's frown stopped the barkeeper, instantly reminding him he has other patrons to take care of.

"Are you sure? I want to be sure. Just a little bit more to be sure." Xan had to support her when her legs went in the opposite direction to where her hands extended. He threw her arm over his shoulder, balancing her meager weight and stopping her from reaching the bar. There was no trace of elven grace in her movements anymore.

"Daria. I assure you with all certainty that you are completely drunk" he muttered leading her up the stairs. He tried to ignore the laughing and congratulations of other patrons, leaving them behind in the common room.

"Well… if you say so." She sounded uncertain, lost. She rapidly turned to face him still being supported, what almost cost both of them to fall from the stairs. She raised her eyes at him, dark violet devoid of any silver glow. "I trust you. You know I trust you?" Her voice was child-like know. He knew he shouldn't let her talk too much. Her revelations, mostly learned accidentally using divinations, were not for his ears to hear. She was discreet only as long as she wasn't drunk. Like now. He began to drag her towards the doors of a room she shared with Jaheira. "I just don't want feel him touch me ever again" he heard her whisper. He momentary stopped, frozen in his tracks.

"Him?" he repeated feeling something very cold nestling inside him.

"Him. The monster. Irenicus." She lowered her eyes to the ground, falling silent. Xan caught an unguarded look of pain in her eyes, making him feel as if he was being torn to pieces. So that was her nightmare… He wanted to help her, to find out what was done to her, but questioning her when she was in such a state, even for good reasons, was low. And he wanted Irenicus to rot in hells for what he had done. It was hopeless wishing, but it was all he had. He decided to wait until she's ready to tell him everything herself and was going to keep to his promise. He wordlessly led her to her room, keeping her a bit closer this time.

"Do you have the key?" He asked her when they finally reached their destination.

"I have it in my pocket!" The question made her grin cheerfully forgeting about her gloominess instantly. She tried to put her hand into one of the pockets in her robes, but missed it barely. Xan sighed and reached inside drawing plain key.

"Come in, inside. Jaheira is gone and… she's gone?" Daria mumbled when they entered a simple, but tidy room furnished with two beds and a table.

"Yes, she's not here." He answered mechanically, seating her on one of the beds and kneeled to remove her shoes. There were ugly scars from shackles on her ankles.

"Xan…" Her tone changed to more sober. He instantly felt embarrassed for staring.

"Yes?" He put her to bed and covered her with a blanket. He felt like he was putting a child to sleep.

"Come closer." He sat at the side of her bed and leaned over her. He hoped it wasn't about another embarrassing secret. She circled her hands around his chest and slowly pulled him lower until their faces were only a breath away. His eyes were looking at her surprised, wide, dark like bottomless oceans. Just when he was about to ask something, or to back away she kissed him fully on the lips, clinging to him with all her strength. He drowned in smell of alcohol and jasmine, a component she used so often to improve her divinations, feeling her warmth through a blanket. The touch, the warmth, the smell, it was intoxicating, a lost, mad moment, and only when she sighed with pleasure he realized he's returning her kiss, his lips on her neck somehow, his arms circled around her. He leapt back blushing wildly.

Daria shifted slowly to her side, gave a half-moan, half-yawn and closed her eyes. She heard a loud thud of door being shut hastily, when Xan dashed out of the room. 'Pity I won't remember any of this in the morning' she thought to herself. 'After all, isn't that what all heroes get in return for their good deeds? Everlasting gratitude from the villagers and a kiss from their true love?' She smiled to her pillow at the ridiculous thought and fell asleep.

***

Xan tried to calm his thumping heart, leaning on the closed door leading to the room he just left. Only after a minute he gathered his thoughts enough to realize he left the key to the door inside, but he would rather face an angry red dragon armed with a stick, than enter the room again. He couldn't grasp the reality of what had happened only moments ago. 'Why did I do that?' he couldn't stop asking himself. He certainly didn't feel like babysitting a child anymore. He knew she was blind drunk and didn't control her actions, but he didn't drink anything tonight. It was sheer madness. Only the lowest scoundrel would take advantage of a woman this way, a best friend at that, and he thought he was better than that. He didn't plan it, it simply… happened. But why?

'I don't love her… that way' he stated to himself, trying to make at least one thing certain. 'I don't.' It didn't bring him any unexpected reassurance. He knew they get together well because their shared interest in magic arts, he considered her abilities above average and knew her good heart. He would entrust her with his life should it be necessary and protect her whenever he could. He suffered to see her hurt – he could remember only too clearly the torment he felt when she was calling his name with waning voice, deep in her nightmares, and he sat helpless by her side, unable to do anything before she wakes up. He wanted her to be happy, like when they were only beginning their travels together – a carefree girl delighted with every flowery meadow they found hidden in the forest, celebrating every rainbow and snowfall, laughing… But he didn't love her _that_ way, did he? Unrelenting memories of breathing the sweet scent and feeling her warm shape in his arms attacked like a tenacious swarm of bees.

He closed his eyes in vain attempt to stop thinking, wishing it could make the world less complicated. I only served to make the matters worse, because when he opened them again he saw Jaheira giving him the deadliest look he ever saw her give.

"Your shirt is untied" she said with terrifying calmness. With horror he realized she's right – the top of his robe was open. It had to be Daria's doing, but when? It was only a moment… he only lost a track of time for few seconds back then! He felt thoughts speeding through his head, quickly correcting his clothing with shaking fingers, reddening under the druidess' sinister glare.

"Stay here" she barked. He immediately felt his legs becoming rooted in the wooden floor, but not because of the druidic magic. He felt an intuitive chilling dread travelling down his spine. It must have been the last thing a rabbit felt, looking in the eyes of a predator.

Jaheira disappeared in the room for few seconds. She came back with a stony expression.

"You may go" he heard her voice say, but somehow his mind digested it as 'You may live.'

"We will talk later" she said and went inside the room again, locking it from the inside. He realized he's been holding his breath and exhaled, feeling strangely shaky. There was one certain reason why he should never touch Daria without her clear-headed permission. Should he do so, Minsc and Jaheira would have his hide, Anomen most likely too, judging by the way he was looking at the elven diviner.

'But it would be worth it, wouldn't it?' a treacherous voice inside his head sounded. Xan did his best to ignore it.


	13. The Rain

„**The Rain"**

Jaheira woke up half an hour before the dawn, as always, slipping from the deep slumber into consciousness without any states between. She stretched sitting on her bed, clearing the last remnants of drowsiness from her mind. Her roommate was still fast asleep, apparently tired after yesterday's exertion and the celebration that went after. She would most likely wake up with a huge headache, the druidess knew from experience, from her ward's other 'mornings after', and thus she left a cup of water and one of her antidotes on the table. Usually she would find a hangover an appropriate punishment for overusing alcohol, but the situation far from usual. Who would say that blocking precognition was an ordinary reason to drink?

The common room seemed like a desolate space in a ghost town, after how she saw it yesterday. All the merrymakers were back in their cabins, under a tender care of their wives or parents, not a living spirit left back in the inn. Unlike the Copper Coronets' the furnishings were much more solid and survived the celebrations in one piece. Truth to be told, they looked as if they could survive a hurricane without moving from their places. Only one stool has suffered some extensive damage and it looked as if it had been hit with a fireball. A strange balance between the continued existence and decay could be found even in a village tavern, it seemed.

Jaheira made her way through the counter and found a boy she saw assisting the innkeeper, napping in a corner. It looked as if the owner of the inn was off to get some well-deserved rest, and left his helper to deal with everything. He was quickly burdened with Jaheira's specifications about her breakfast and hurried off, escaping the druidess' 'motivating' gaze. She took a sit near a window and watched the horizon, expecting the sun to appear any second.

The first to appear however was Xan, coming down the stairs, his expression as gloomy as always. He looked tired and drawn, as if he didn't have any sleep tonight and Jaheira knew that this time it couldn't be because of Minsc's snoring. The Rashemi berserker shared his room with Anomen on the other side of the corridor, and even a full-blood elf didn't have that sharp senses. He looked around the room, rather to avoid everybody in general than to find someone in specific, and noticed her. She could almost hear him gulp. Something was at hand, and not knowing what it was irritated her more than she would be willing to admit. She invited him to sit with her with a silent gesture. He approached the table looking like a convict led to be hanged, and sat down cautiously. She centered her eyes at him, waiting for her well known glare to do the trick.

"Nothing happened yesterday" Xan eventually broke the silence. She expected an over two hundred years old elf to put some resistance against such a simple trick, but he was shifting on his chair like a youngster making explanations to his parents. Something was definitely at hand. Jaheira had some suspicions, but none of the things she imagined might have happened could be a source of Xan's strange behavior. She made her frown deepen slightly.

"I… It…" Xan stammered awkwardly and then sighed with resignation. It felt a lot more like him. "She got drunk as usual, and I got her to her room. She couldn't stand straight on her own and I had to support her. We almost lost balance once and that's probably when my robe got undone. I've put her into bed _as always_…" he involuntarily stressed the last part, as if he was trying to convince everybody, including himself "…and left the room. I was tired because of having to almost carry her and I stopped by the door. That's all." His tone was almost perfectly balanced, giving the easiest explanation for all she saw. Still, I didn't make her believe a word from it, but she was surprised to know he could lie that well.

"I understand" she said coolly. He knew she recognized his lie, but said nothing more. They sat in uncomfortable silence for few minutes, when the serving boy brought Jaheira her breakfast and appeared with a portion for Xan moments later. She gave the enchanter a break from her mute questioning and began eating, but he didn't as much as spare a glance at his meal, stealing a furtive look at the stairs every time he thought she wasn't looking.

***

The rest of the party appeared an hour later, one hour that stretched into eternity for Xan sitting in front of Jaheira with her expressionless face and sharp eyes following his every uncomfortable movement. Daria was the last to descend the stairs and the druidess couldn't help but wonder how fresh she looked. After driving herself to such a state yesterday she should at least look pale. Even the best antidote couldn't clear up all the effects of hangover that fast.

"Good morning" Daria's voice wasn't as rested as she appeared to be. It was hoarse and if a headache could be heard it would sound exactly like that. She smiled cheerfully however. It seemed that avoiding nightmares was worth that and much more.

Xan looked at the table suddenly fascinated with one of many stains covering its surface. A faint scent of jasmine was surrounding the diviner and he felt like it brushed his skin slightly. He fought the heat he felt on his face with all might he possessed. If Jaheira had any doubts that his version of the previous night's events being at least partly accurate, they all vanished by now.

"I'm sorry for yesterday Xan. I wasn't myself. You know I wouldn't do that on purpose." Xan was actually considering whether he should tell Daria what happened and apologize, promising it would never happen again, but now he would give up all what was left of his possessions not to hear what she just said.

"Y-you remember…?" he couldn't manage to voice _what_ she remembered.

"No, but from the bright shade of red on your face I gather that I said something again" she smiled lightly, but became serious immediately seeing the matter was serious. "I'm sorry. I hope it wasn't anything awful."

"No, you… I mean, nothing bad happened." He raised his eyes from the stain to look at her. He saw her watching him with concern and a bit of uneasiness, uncertain about his unusual behavior. Or rather he would see it were he not looking at her neck, her skin, her hair. He knew before she was beautiful, she drew many men's eyes during their travels after all, but only now he realized it truly, when she stood before him in a worn dark robe instead her white dress sparkling with protective enchantments, a scar covering her left cheek, an illusion masking the effects of tiredness and a place on her neck visible, a place he kissed. He knew every detail of this face, how it changed when she smiled or got angry, but he felt like he saw her for the first time. Somehow he never thought she could be beautiful _to him_. Something unbearably light, both unpleasant and blissful flickered inside him, but somehow it felt like it has always been there. Why has he never noticed it? With all his experience and outlook on life he couldn't accept something like that happening to him. Giving up to in would be a disaster, he knew that as a fact. He stood up forcing himself to look away.

"I'll be waiting for you to get ready outside" he said walking out the inn, without looking back.

"What did I do this time?" he heard the diviner asking Jaheira with resignation, before he shut the door behind him. He felt saddened that all traces of joy disappeared from her voice already, but shook his head. She'd be fine and he needed some time alone.

***

'What did I do this time?' Daria couldn't get the question out of her mind. Jaheira didn't know anything, neither did anyone else, which was strange knowing her habit to share her news with the whole world during the full moon nights. She could attempt divining, but should she try to move herself to the past she would still be drunk by then, and wouldn't be able to remember what she said. Her precognition was far from perfect and was useful mostly in looking forward in time, if she was conscious at that future moment. Regrettably she couldn't check if they needed to set watch at night or if anything was going to happen while she slept, but sometimes she had a bad feeling before the bigger incidents. Separating herself from the material world would help, but she couldn't simply ask Xan to guard her while she tries to determine what she did to make him so troubled.

There was also the point of his privacy. If she said something upsetting, she must have known it before she got her abilities blocked, but she couldn't remember discovering anything disgracing or embarrassing about him. Or was it just a minor thing, a touchy subject? Guarding others' privacy was her soft spot, as at most times she couldn't stop her visions each time someone near triggered them, with some strong emotion or obvious lie. She kept more secrets than she could count and did her best not to hint any way that she knows what Jaheira always keeps in her bag with medications, where did Minsc get one of his scars on the reverse, or the reason why Yoshimo avoided the docks district while moving through Athkatla. She struggled to keep away from her comrades' pasts, but when a vision came closing eyes didn't help. She used to apologize everyone in advance before sitting by the bar, but she didn't fool herself that it makes revealing the most private mysteries any easier to take.

'And one more night before me…' She already caused some unknown trouble, but even considering giving up to the nightmares again made her shiver. 'One more night…' Then she would apologize to Xan once more and wait until he talks to her again. 'One more night…' She needed to make provisions for one more night.

She left the inn after a rich breakfast sponsored by the town and a bottle of the strange alcohol she drank yesterday sloshing in her pack, a final gift from the innkeeper. Walked arm in arm with Mazzy, they discussed the road ahead. The halfling paladin wanted to return to her home in Trademeet, having enough of adventuring for now, but the party could escort her for some time on the road, if she was willing to accompany them while they take care of the Cowled Wizards' mission. The guide, one of the villagers, who knew the location of a cabin deep in the woods owned by an athkatlan noble, was already waiting for them by the village's square.

***

The way to the small house, situated on the edge of the forest only three hours from the village, gave the impression of being far longer than the previous full-day march from the temple, all thanks to their guide, an aging man named Jeb, who seemed to set himself an aim at insulting them at every step. From his words one could imagine that 'their kind' was the sole cause of all the problems in Imnesvale, including the Shadowlord, the ogres and the bad weather, and they were lucky that they finally cleared their mess up, otherwise the decent people would have to deal with them. He seemed to think he was making them a big favor leading them to the cabin, but he stressed many times that he only does it to get rid of them. Daria was clenching her teeth to stop any retort forming in her mind, reminding herself again and again that they need the guide, if she was about to avoid another headache ending trip. Her current hangover was bad enough already, Jeb's strident voice only adding to it. She had to restrain herself from asking how far it is to the cabin knowing it would only start another round of insults. Why did the mayor sent someone like that to show them the way?

Xan was avoiding her clearly, picking a place in the end of formation, behind her, walking along with Nalia and Mazzy, slowing down every time she got near. It was the first time ever he so obviously kept away from her, not even discovering her father's identity made him avoid her like that. Daria was marching by Anomen's side at the lead, not even attempting to listen to his praises of an order of paladins with some strange name she didn't care to remember. She tried to distract herself from the grim reality of Xan being angry at her, one more night of full moon ahead and Jeb's never-ending complains, but focusing on the larger picture didn't seem any better, when 'the larger picture' meant working for the Cowled Wizards.

She was overjoyed to hear their guide stop in the middle of an insult, hoping one of her friends finally had enough of him and cast a Silence spell, until she saw an arrow jutting out of his chest. Her eyes followed his body falling to the ground as if in slow motion, her hands instinctively forming the pattern summoning rock hard layer to cover her skin. 'The next arrow is aimed at your heart' she heard her own voice whispering in her ear. The projectile hitting her chest threw her out of balance knocking her to the ground. She screamed, mostly to warn her party than out of pain, as her stony shield materialized just in time to absorb the hit. More arrows shot from the cover of the trees, invisible archers protected by the camouflage made of leaves. All the party could do was to cover themselves, mages using their spells, warriors their armor, and try to distinguish the figures among the branches. Daria got to her feet and saw Anomen standing before her, his shield raised to shelter her from the source of the missiles. She focused, fighting the headache.

Adrenaline was pulsing in her veins, time speeding up and slowing down at once. She penetrated the forest seeing her visualization sharpening to its limits. Another set of gestures sent bright flashes of crimson to envelop the three rangers positioned on the branches of the highest trees, revealing their location.

"Yoshimo, the right one! Xan, Nalia, the left! Jaheira distract the middle!" she shouted before ducking behind a tree, hiding from the three arrows sent after her. As a leader she instantly became a first target to the missiles, moreover killing her would remove the vivid auras exposing the attackers. Actually it wouldn't, but she was aware that most of the non-mages were relying with their tactic on such rumors. She managed to send a magic missile from behind her cover before a shot pierced through her hand, breaking through the protective spell. She caught a glimpse of the archer being swarmed by a band of squirrels summoned by Jaheira, losing balance and falling from his branch. The second one was hit by a paralyzing charm, but she still had to avoid the third shot. She wrenched the arrow out from her hand, not even realizing how little pain it caused her, taking a moment to hide behind a tree, and focused once more. On instant she extended her arm and grabbed Nalia pulling her behind a large trunk moments before she would get hit by the remaining ranger's shot. The noblewoman fell clumsily, her eyes widening at the sight of an arrow stuck into wood in a place where she stood a second ago. Daria heard a scream of the last attacker and a thud of a body hitting the ground, but focused one last time, to make sure there's no one hiding in the bushes. Then she left Nalia still staring blankly at the arrow, and looked around to make sure everyone was alright. Anomen and Jaheira were already taking care of the minor scratches from few missiles which penetrated Minsc's heavy armor.

It was too late for Jeb, the shot aimed flawlessly into his heart, killing him instantly. Daria watched the dead body with empty look, feeling something stir inside her at the sight. She remembered she was happy that he finally stopped talking and something strange began to whirl in her head, a new idea, a thought that one can enjoy somebody's death. With startle she recognized the work of the taint of murder coursing in her blood, a poison to her mind, whispering lies and maiming her whether she wanted to listen to it or not. She kneeled and made a quick prayer to her god for safe passing to the afterlife. It was what she was meant to feel – pity and guilt, that was her choice. She learned a lot about the Bhaal's essence through her visions, but she was firm in her denial about her hidden nature.

All the wounds could be healed quickly, but she couldn't stop thinking she led her friends straight into another trap without noticing anything. An innocent man suffered, but she couldn't help but feel relief that it wasn't anyone from her party. What would she feel should another one of her friends die because she wasn't good enough at maintaining her visions? What would she feel if it would be Xan lying there on the ground instead, lifeless, the first target of the archers? What _did_ she feel looking at Khalid's desecrated body in the dungeon, hearing Dynaheir is dead? She couldn't stop the memories of the horrifying night when they were captured from emerging. Her innate talent only made it worse making her once again witness the horrors of the Irenicus' rotten prison every time she let her concentration slip, the spells and knifes, and the worst torture – being convinced that she's the only survivor, that all others were dead because of her.

She was on the verge of breakdown again, tide of mad fear overwhelming any sanity she had for a second, but she fought back the trembling before anyone could notice something was not right. She felt a sudden need to scream, but forcefully cleared her mind centering herself solely on the present, letting all memories leave her, only calm oblivion of detached 'now' remaining. Standing up she raised her head to look at the trees releasing her soul from useless thoughts, visions disappearing from the view like sun behind the leaves and clouds, rain gathering above their heads to fall. Daria heard a saying long time ago, in Candlekeep, that there was perfection in every moment, and she dedicated herself to finding it now. She sensed first drops of moisture leaving their home among the skies beginning a short journey towards the ground. Or was it an eternal road? If a raindrop never realizes it's going to fall was it any different from never falling? For all others perhaps it was, but did it really had to matter so much? The rain was drawing closer, she could already feel the scent of the water, and…

"My lady!" The rain fell. A sob escaped her lips, but she masked it hastily with a cough. Anomen was standing by her, perturbed about her pierced palm. His shout ruined her trance, leaving her as shaken and hurt as before. She shrugged him off, not willing to have him look at her hand without a glove and called Jaheira, trying hard not to think about a perfect moment lost.


	14. Moments of Doubt

„**Moments of Doubt"**

The matters got complicated from now. Two of the rangers that attacked the party were still alive, the third one killed by one of Yoshimo's arrows. One of them was unconscious after a fall, unable to soften his landing, being under influence of a paralyzing spell, but the second, a blonde half-elf with his face full of anger, victim of Jaheira's squirrels, was scowling at them from under a tree he fell from, unable to attack with his broken arm. Over them the rain was playing a mundane melody on the leaves of highest branches, never reaching the ground.

The conscious ranger couldn't be more than twenty years old, and that made him quite young for a half-elf. He was surrounded by the party now, Jaheira's sharp eyes watching his every move with suspicion. Daria approached the wounded half-elf knowing he's partly under Xan's enchantment and he wasn't able to attack without a warning. She did get spat in her face however. The half-elf momentary winced, as if in pain, but his vicious glare hasn't lessened even a bit. She wiped her face under a hood turning to the enchanter for a moment. His eyes were set firmly on their captive, his face a stone mask of concentration and… anger? He gave a nod knowing she was looking at him for confirming, without breaking eye contact. He renewed his hold over the half-elf, stopping him effectively from doing anything desperate. Mazzy was watching their every move with suspiciousness, seemingly paying more attention to her new traveling companions that to the attackers.

"Why did you attack us?" Daria asked the immobilized ranger. He was taken aback for a moment, but the fierce expression disappeared only for a split second.

"You know! You're from the Cowled Wizards" the half-elf spat again uttering the name of organization with hate. "You will never get Valygar." That actually told her all she wanted to know about the trio of rangers.

"He's a wanted criminal, responsible for death of two innocent men" she stated. She noticed before that Tolgieras was hiding something and suspected that maybe there was more to the attack on the Cowled than general hate to magic users.

"Two _mages_! Your kind has nothing to do with innocent people!" Perhaps it was just general hate. It was the first time Daria encountered such extreme dislike toward magic users. She thought of her abilities as of a talent, like a gift in swordplay she was fully devoid of, or Imoen's natural easiness with the locks. There was no prejudice toward the mages in Candlekeep… Half of the population of Candlekeep consisted of mages.

"Being educated in ways of the Art doesn't make anyone to blame for anything." Daria recognized a lost cause, when she saw one, but she couldn't help to try explaining herself.

"You're all slaughterers, monsters! Your dark magic is a taint on face of Toril!" The ranger was becoming red on his face, a hint of madness in his words obviously present.

"Yet it was you, who murdered a villager with cold blood" Daria said in bitter voice.

"He was a traitor! Valygar did so much for Imnesvale and they betrayed him to the Cowled!" The ranger hasn't even stopped for a minute to consider, making up his ideology along the way. Daria paid no more attention to his shouts as she saw the other archer regaining consciousness.

"Jaheira, take care of the other one." The blonde half-elf paled, misinterpreting Daria's words as a death sentence to his comrade. The druidess made her way to the other archer, a half-elf as well, and checked for his state.

"I won't tell you anything" the hateful ranger hissed through clenched teeth, but this time fear appeared in his eyes.

"You will go with us to Valygar Corthala's cabin."

"I will never…" he began to say, but silenced hearing Jaheira's voice uttering words of a healing spell over his half-conscious companion, healing a bloody gush on his head. Daria doubted he recognized the incantations, given his obvious hate for magic.

"I will lead you to the cabin if you will let my brother free" he stated with blank expression. Daria bit her lip at the vision his words summoned, determined to see it through despite the thumping pain in her head. She sensed deception, blurry images of deep forest, the half-elven ranger laughing at them manically, overjoyed to have led them the wrong way. She expected as much without having to resort to divinations.

"You will both go with us to the cabin after we bury the dead, but neither of you will lead the way." It seemed she would end up divining the path anyway. She called for a quick rest picking Anomen and Minsc to keep an eye out for the captives.

***

Nalia was still in shock, staring at the arrow stuck halfway in a tree, by the time they cleared the battlefield and dug two shallow graves for the fallen, placed on two sides of a small glade. They had enough tact not to bury a victim right next to its killer, but had to leave the rangers grave unmarked. The half-elf refused to reveal his comrade's name, looking at them with loathing, as if suspecting them for being necromancers only waiting to desecrate the graves and rise the undead. Daria shrugged him off and wrote the name on a piece of wood, seemingly effortlessly looking through the veil of time. She wrote many names on many graves, the first one being her father's, and couldn't force herself to leave an unmarked burial place.

The young noblewoman was sitting on the ground all this time, unable to move her stare from what could be her death, were it not for Daria.

"We should go now, before it starts getting dark" Nalia heard a voice, most likely seeking her attention.

"I'm too young to die" she whispered weakly.

"It's alright Nalia. You're not going to die" Daria kneeled by the stunned girl, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"I would have died if you hadn't saved me." Nalia heard stories about heroes sacrificing their lives in the name of goodness, but this… this was _different_. There was nothing heroic in dying from an arrow in a trap, being hit almost accidentally. It was _wrong_.

"You'd be fine. I acted on an impulse, without thinking. You still had your stoneskins to protect you and didn't need my help." Nalia realized with a blush that the elf was right – stone hard layer was still covering her tightly. She felt like a complete fool, but the uneasiness caused by the closeness of death remained. She managed to shift her gaze from arrow and stand up however. She noticed something strange when she changed her point of view. From different angles Daria's face seemed to have slightly different shade, like the air itself was denser near her head. It was a sigh of the illusion magic at work, but though Nalia recognized a spell her eyes couldn't penetrate it. She kept silent, unwilling to make herself a fool again, but decided to discreetly ask Jaheira what it meant later.

Daria smiled with sympathy at the noble born girl, seeing she's recovering from the shock. The first time she brushed with death she alarmed the whole Candlekeep, running out of the stables screaming with a small dagger she always kept with her covered in blood. It was the first assassination attempt she evaded, there were many more later on, but this moment, her first kill, weighted on her memory more than any other attack she suffered. Out of habit she pushed it away from her thoughts.

Their captives, both half-elven, both scowling furiously, were surrounded by Minsc and Anomen. Daria knew she couldn't leave them here, otherwise they could warn Valygar, or attack them once again, and she didn't even consider killing them. The only option left was taking them into custody until they deal with the mage killer and then leave them in Imnesvale to be judged for killing Jeb. 'And they could do as hostages' the more practical, or the more cynical part of her mind added. She was still getting used to that part, it seemed she didn't have such thoughts before.

She wasn't going to let either of the rangers lead the way, they were not trustworthy as her vision straightforwardly shown and thus she had to find the cabin herself. She already saw it once, from the sky, during the first divination, but to find the right path she needed a look from a bit lower perspective. She'd rather not use her divinations while walking having two dangerous rangers behind her. She approached Xan.

"Could you lend me a hand?" she asked nonchalantly with a smile, before reminding herself that he's still avoiding her and she should show some remorse for whatever she said last night.

"I… Could you ask Jaheira to do it?" It hurt like a stab in a back when he said that. She always took his hand when divining, _always_. She knew he was angry at her, in his own specific way, but he never turned her down before, no matter what happened, or what she was trying to divine. She didn't even know if she could hear someone else's heartbeat during her trance. Knowing he holds her hand every time gave her a warm feeling of safety, comfort she needed so much when she was immaterial, slowly drifting away from her body. She couldn't stop the tears on time, feeling betrayed like never before, but she still had her hood obscuring the view. She turned around without a word, before he could see her face.

She knew it was naïve of her to think he would always be there for her, ready to help her every time she needed it, but she thought like that indeed. He was sighting and complaining, he would tell her that it was hopeless and that they were all doomed, but he would take her hand and let her fall in his arms and make her feel as safe as she could in the current situation. And now it was gone as well… Maybe he would forgive her in few days and stop keeping away from her, but it wouldn't be the same anymore. She felt bitter and angry knowing she brought this upon her head all by herself. She suddenly started to consider whether getting rid of the nightmares for one night was worth it, but after all it was just one more emotion to stifle inside. She didn't know why she cared anymore.

Anomen was standing near the captives, putting more effort in trying to look stern and threatening than paying attention to the two half-elves. He was Daria's second choice when she assessed her party when it came to fastening her to the present. She knew only too well Jaheira had often problems with controlling her irritation and the sun elf could tell when she was annoyed because of the quickening pulse which would most likely ruin her concentration. Minsc was doing a much better job with guarding the half-elves than the priest and though Daria knew he could help her with divinations she decided to bother Anomen instead. She took him by the arm without explaining anything and pulled him away from the half-elves. He was surprised, but let her lead him to a remote corner of the glade. Daria sat down and gestured him to do the same.

"Give me your hand." She wasn't in a mood for explanations, she was in a mood to be grumpy. All she needed him to do was to listen to her instructions and luckily Helmites were born to do just that. She grabbed his hand almost harshly trying to center on his pulse.

"Don't let go of my hand no matter what happens, or what I say in the trance" she warned him and ineffectively tried to follow his heartbeat. It was steady and strong, just as she remembered it was, from the time he held his palm on her forehead, but also somehow very wrong. It simply wasn't the right heartbeat and neither was Jaheira's, Minsc's or Yoshimo's. She felt teary again, wishing she could hear the familiar rhythm yet again and surprisingly… she did. Instinctively she sharpened her hearing with magic and distinguished a quiet beat of Xan's heart sounding inside its owner's chest. She could hardly make it out from among the other sounds, but when she focused her magically enhanced senses on it she could muffle everything else. It was mindless of her to never get the idea to sharpen her senses before divining. It was so easy to follow a heartbeat when it was pounding loudly in her head, like a bell, sounds of eternal melancholy. She missed his hand holding hers nonetheless, but left her body without the fear of getting lost.

***

He did it before. He held her hand many times, embraced her and… Yes, he kissed her before, on a cheek, when they were parting in Baldur's Gate, his duties calling him to return to Evereska. Xan was trying to make sense of what he felt, sitting under one of the trees covering him from the rain. She teased him many times ambushing him and tickling, but these were simple things, common among friends, among them as well. It never felt so uncomfortable, so… intimate. He could hold her when she was in trance caring only for her safety before, but now he couldn't even think about touching her hand without blushing and recalling the events of previous night. And he knew she would sense it. It never ceased to amaze him how good she was at recognizing his moods, though he expected it to be a part of her divining abilities. Nevertheless he felt her in his arms many times in the past and did many other things, like walking hand in hand, sleeping close by or sharing reveries. Things usually reserved to the ones in love, as he realized stunned. Only back then it felt natural and now it was not. Different - that was the word he was looking for. It was different.

He said he didn't love her, but he wasn't sure anymore. He missed her when he was in Evereska, a calm misery accompanying his usual melancholy like a close friend. He longed to show her his homeland and felt sorrowful knowing she would never be let inside the elven settlement, that he may never see her again. He didn't think much about Imoen, Jaheira and Khalid, Kivan, or his other companions. There was something resembling happiness inside him since the time they met again. He knew there was small chance of seeing her once more after their parting, and even though death was following her trail like a hungry hound he was relieved to be in her company. Was he lovesick? Was it only the matter of putting feelings into words?

'No, it can't be. It is just too… hopeless.' She was only his best friend, she knew him better than anyone else, even better than Kivan did. And he knew why he yearned to show her Evereska. It wasn't because of the friendship or any kind of love. It was because she was a Bhaalspawn, a simple hurting fact that made her separated from her people from the very beginning, a cruel injustice condemning a young innocent woman to life in loneliness and death denying any afterlife. He would always protect her, but not because of what he might feel toward her. He would always protect her because she was burdened even heavier than he was, though he wouldn't believe it was possible before, and she needed his help more than anyone else in the group. Love had nothing to do with any of his actions. And the previous night was just a… something that happened. Nothing important. He would forget about it soon enough.

He looked around the clearing, searching for Daria. He felt he could breathe easier now that he had everything explained. He knew he could talk to her again freely again. His eyes moved through Jaheira and Minsc guarding the prisoners, Nalia talking with Yoshimo, Mazzy sharpening her sword and Daria… Daria was lying motionlessly by Anomen, holding his hand.

***

She winced in suprise when the heartbeat suddenly became faster and uneven. Daria took a look at the cabin already and memorized the path the best she could, but now finding her way back was beginning to pose a problem. Her own heart began to beat rapidly when she began to imagine the reasons of the sudden change of the pulse. Was the camp attacked again? More rangers came to free their comrades? Was Xan injured? She needed to get to the camp as fast as possible, but couldn't focus in her current unnerved state. Reminding herself that she doesn't have a heart in her incorporeal form and what she feels wasn't her actual pulse, only her imagination creating a representation of her body helped a little. It made her composed enough to be able to find the well-known beat once more.

She inhaled a bit too sharply upon returning and felt blood in her mouth. The priest sitting next to her drew his breath as well and she couldn't ignore the hiss of the air brushing through all his teeth and throat. She cried in pain and another sound hit her over-sensitive ears, stinging every nerve of her body. She pressed her free hand to the side of her head trying to muffle all the sound.

"MY LADY, ARE YOU ALRIGHT?" She bit her lip, shivering at the horrible noise. It was her fault, she forgot to tell him what to do when she returns from her short trip, but the punishment was a bit too much for a simple disregard. He still held her hand and squeezed it now, making her feel like her bones were being broken all over again. She felt tears making their way through her face, two heavy drops of water. Somebody in the camp cursed and began to whisper a spell. She could hear every word as clearly as if the caster was standing right by her.

"MY L…" Suddenly all the sounds ended, only deaf silence remaining. She took a deep breath, but couldn't hear the air anymore. All that remained to bother her was the smells of the forest and Anomen clutching her hand. She suddenly realized that someone must have cast a Silence spell and she used the chance to wrench her hand free from the priest's grasp, feeling as if her skin was being peeled from the bones. And all of a sudden she saw Jaheira being stabbed in a back by one of the half-elves, the previously unconscious one, which they forgot to check for hidden weapons. A sharp knife penetrated through one of the gaps in the druidess' armor ending her life in one fast stab, its owner grabbing his brother and disappearing in the forest. The vision faded… Few seconds! It would happen in few seconds!

Daria couldn't shout through a silenced sphere centered on her, and was too exhausted to get up, so she just pointed her finger at the prisoners praying in her mind for Jaheira to turn around and notice the hidden dagger in the ranger's hand. She could see what little sunlight was left in the rainy forest playing on the metal blade, drawn by the half-elf now raising to stand behind Jaheira, her eyes turned towards the diviner instead of the captive, after casting the silencing charm. Daria saw a cold glint in his eyes when he shot a look at Jaheira's back picking a place to strike in split second. She felt a freezing cold hand of insanity on her mind when she realized she can't stop him in any way, that the present was already past, because she couldn't change it, and all she has now is a grim future. The ranger smirked to himself and cut forward.

Jaheira's fist effectively removed the smirk from his face, breaking his nose along the way. The druidess turned around just in time to smash his face and disarm him with the other hand. The ranger fell backwards, his brother immediately pinned down to the ground by Minsc. Daria felt relieved beyond her imagination, before realizing that the lightness she feels it's not only caused by the fact Jaheira survived. She only managed to curse mutely at the fact that she's going to faint again, before the word blackened around her.

'The stresses, the still fresh injuries from the tortures, pressure of leadership, bad diet, lack of proper sleep… I faint far too often.' Daria counted in her head stirring to consciousness few minutes later. She could sense that the rest of the party was sitting nearby, but not close enough to get on her over-sensitive nerves, or rather senses. 'There's something wrong with your head' she remembered Jaheira say. Even her neck was stiff now, but she felt no extra headache adding to the hangover, which was recessing by now. 'Should Imoen be here, I'd already have a nickname 'ground-kisser', or something equally stupid. But she's not here, I am, instead of looking for this Corthala guy, and freeing her.' A little smoldering spark of anger was enough to lift her from the blanket and to her feet. She felt a little dizzy, but she knew it would pass and she preferred to walk while her head was taking its time.

Not even Jaheira tried to argue against marching forward, knowing how pointless it was. Instead she took her ward by the arm, supporting her unnoticeably, guiding the way at the path leading to the cabin of Valygar Corthala.


	15. The Matters of Trust

„**The Matters of Trust"**

„There's one man in the second room, the first one looks empty. There could be more people hiding, but only if they knew we were coming and I don't think we've been spotted just yet. The man is unarmed, but keeps his weapons close enough to get them before we reach the room. The front doors are closed, but the lock isn't complicated and it shouldn't take us more than two minutes to get through." Daria was listening Yoshimo's report. The bounty hunter sneaked around the cabin, taking Nalia along, and they checked all the windows and doors for traps and made out as much as they could about the inside. Daria tried to foresee something, but failed miserably, and decided to give the 'traditional' methods a chance.

They were covered from the view, hidden behind a living wall of the forest, soaked after the rain, their captives kept in a Silenced area in case they tried to warn their target. None of them had a key to the front door and Yoshimo suspected the only one was kept by the owner of the house. He would act like that were he being hunted.

Daria was making plans for the assault. If everything went right further bloodshed could be avoided, but should anything go wrong, as it usually did, at least bloodshed of the party members' blood shouldn't take place. She could try to persuade the mage murderer to surrender, as he was vastly outnumbered, but something told her that a lone man attacking an organization like Cowled Wizards didn't hold much care for numbers. She could try bluffing that she would kill the captives, she took extensive lessons of lying from Imoen after all, but that depended on the type of person this Valygar was. He could care nothing for their lives.

"We should at least try to talk to this Valygar. If this doesn't work we'll do it the hard way." Would she behave like that were she not a Bhaalspawn? She tried to avoid killing more than seemed reasonable. Daria started to rearrange the formation. "I'll go in first taking Minsc along in case he tries to attack us on sight. We should have enough time to take positions inside the first room. Nalia and Yoshimo will look out for the windows on the other side of the cabin in case the killer tries to escape that way. Anomen, Jaheira – you're guarding the rangers. Xan, can you make sure they don't do anything unexpected?" The enchanter nodded looking everywhere but on her. Daria knew they had to talk openly about what troubles them, but it had to wait until they're done with the current business. "Mazzy, do you want to stay outside or go in?" The halfling paladin wasn't officially a part of their group, and she didn't have to listen to the leader, but Daria would rather have her inside, one more arm to lift the sword and one more head to think.

"I can help inside if you want me to" the small warrioress answered.

"Then you're coming in after Minsc." From what Daria learned while traveling with Ajantis, all paladins knew some sort of trick to recognize the evil in someone's heart. It wasn't a very precise ability since Ajantis never noticed the taint of Bhaal in her, even though there hardly could be anything more evil, but should be enough to determine whether the man inside is indeed the murderer they are looking for.

She threw a last look at the group, making sure she didn't forget about anything essential and said:

"We're going in." Minsc got up from the ground, making as much noise as practically possible. "…quietly."

***

It came out better than Daria could ever expect. They moved to the front door unnoticed and got past the lock, Yoshimo's lock picking skills left unchallenged, then Nalia accompanied him sneaking on the other side of the building to take watch over the windows. The noblewoman had problems with moving as silently as the bounty hunter, but wasn't loud enough to be heard inside the building, or at least she hoped so.

'Too easy to be true' Daria thought when the rest of the party got into the room without problems, Minsc and Mazzy taking places on both sides of the closed door leading into the remaining room in the cabin. Anomen and Jaheira led the half-elves, still silenced not to alert the resident of the house. The troubling question turned out to be 'what now?' She couldn't simply go and open the door – she would be immediately attacked. Letting Minsc do so would endanger him much more than she'd like. She considered using magic, but she didn't want to be identified as a mage just yet, before having a chance to talk. After all, she already removed her hood, not to be viewed as 'Cowled' and clad herself tightly in dark cloak covering what could be taken for mages robes, but was the only clothing she could find back in dungeon. Cloaked adventurers were common enough not to be equaled as magic users. The only remaining option was to invite the murderer politely to join them in where they were already set.

"Come out, we know you're there. We want to talk." Daria raised her voice to reach through the door. She knew she didn't have a voice of a leader and she sounded like a little girl playing mighty hero each time she tried to give commands, but it had its good sides, like being underestimated by the enemies all too often. Her companions got used to doing what she says without minding how it sounds by now. She gestured Minsc and Mazzy to step away from the doors. First she should do the talking. There could always be time for a bloody carnage in a closed space later.

They waited few silent seconds before the doors slowly opened and a man came out. Daria expected a self-important noble with a brand new rapier, and polished shoes, or at least a complete madman, but the reality didn't rise to her expectations. Valygar Corthala was a tall human, but not as tall as Minsc, with dark skin and always alerted eyes. He didn't look like a noble at all, a ranger to his bones, his posture showing constant alertness instead of pride widespread among the higher born. A sword he held in his right hand resembled the one used by Yoshimo, but looked twice as sharp, definitely not a toy used by a spoiled rich. A glitter she could observe on its edge betrayed it to be of magical nature. 'It seems his hatred doesn't go that far to stop him from getting the best weapon to kill his enemies.' Daria usually would think about it as of hypocrisy, but something in his stance, in his defiant stare made her feel only respect.

"Cowled Wizards or their slaves, I will not be your pawn" his voice was low and angry when he addressed them, making a tinge of fear join the respect the diviner felt. Valygar's eyes rested on her before glancing through the room, stopping shortly on two half-elves guarded by Jaheira and Anomen. Daria wondered what he was thinking. Was he looking for the third ranger, the one killed on the glade? Waiting for rescue? Where there any more of his companions in surrounding forest?

"We're here to arrest you for double murder you committed two weeks ago in Athkatla. Come with us and you will be given an honest trial." Daria tried to deafen her own voice screaming at her that this man is innocent, that she's leading him to death. She didn't know if it was her precognition, of did she simply couldn't believe someone like that being a cold hearted killer.

"Release them." His eyes returned to rest at her. "This doesn't concern them."

Daria shook her head slowly, never breaking eye contact. She felt respect, but didn't doubt she would die the exact moment she would lower her guard.

"They will be brought to Imnesvale and trialed for killing one of the villagers, who was supposed to lead us here." Daria knew by now that it's not a type of person to abandon his followers, but she didn't expect the fury she saw on his face, surprisingly not centered on her.

"I told you not to endanger any innocents!" Valygar focused his rage on their captives. "You're acting like mages, destroying everything on their path, caring only for their goals!"

'Now that is offending.' Daria had enough to be treated like that. Throughout the short time she spent outside Candlekeep she was already discriminated for her race, gender and heritage, and now this! Soon she would be frowned upon for breathing not the way she should or writing with left hand. 'No, not for that. I can't write yet' she recalled. Her fingers provided help as long as the simple runes were involved, curves and arcs of letters beyond her reach for now. 'Maybe there's some prejudice against that as well.'

"Being educated in the ways of magic doesn't make me a monster, you know?!" She straightly admitted to being a mage, but she was really irritated by now. 'Being a Bhaalspawn does' her internal 'traitor' part of mind added. She only composed herself noticing a slight change in the way Valygar was holding his weapon, the tip of the blade raising almost unnoticeably, his attention shifting from the half-elves.

"You will not drag me to this accursed Sphere as long as I live" his tone changed into even more threatening somehow. He was preparing to attack and Daria knew she wouldn't be able to avoid the first strike. She saw him moving with astonishing speed toward her, while she tries to back away, his blade like a flash, cutting through skin on her neck and blood pouring, covering all her world, drowning it in red. She blinked hoping he took the glint in her eyes for a trick of light. She stood as motionless as she could, not to provoke him.

"What sphere?" she asked, feeling her knees weakening after a vision.

He looked at her evaluating for what seemed an hour, but was indeed only few seconds. She knew she's playing with fire. He couldn't hope to win against them from his current position, but he could kill her before being brought down by her companions.

"Some time ago, in the middle of Athkatlan slums appeared a Sphere, a huge construction in a shape of an orb." He began with hesitation unfitting his unyielding stance. "It immediately brought attention of the Cowled Wizards, who tried to determine the source of this magical occurrence. They learned that it was built five hundred years ago, by a necromancer named Lavoc Corthala, my ancestor." Valygar stopped as if waiting for any reaction.

"My family was tainted with magic for generations, but Lavoc was infamous even among them. He was known for prolonging his life using blood of his descendants, a foul necromancy that lasted centuries. When the Cowled realized they can't reach inside the Sphere they tracked me down, the last living descendant of the Corthala family being their only chance to break inside."

"I was found in my estate in Athkatla and when I refused to work with…" he paused considering whether to say 'with them' or 'with you' and eventually said nothing. "I was attacked and managed to kill two of them before escaping. I hide in here since then." The dark-skinned man finished his tale.

Daria was told many times she was naïve and far too trusting, mostly by Jaheira and mostly just in case, but she did believe Valygar was not guilty, that he only acted in self defense. He was waiting for her response, tense and ready to attack every second. 'A tale for a tale' she decided.

"We were sent by a Cowled Wizard named Tolgieras, who promised to release my sister, imprisoned for illegal magic use, in exchange for finding you." Daria felt her heart breaking slowly, when she realized she couldn't do it, that she should lead this stranger and give his life for Imoen's freedom, that her sister was more important, but she couldn't. For a moment she wished he attacked them so she could kill him without feeling guilty. "I won't do it. What are your plans?"

"I was planning to return back to Athkatla after some time and enter the Sphere on my own. It's a vow of my family that Lavoc has to be killed. I have no interest in the Sphere itself and you could use it to bargain with the Cowled. I could use your help" Valygar said lowering his sword slowly. 'Was he really that trusting?' Daria knew that even she wouldn't ask people who burgled into her house and took her friends prisoners for help. 'No, he's simply desperate. Running away from home chased by the law, hiding in the wilderness, being unjustly accused of murder… Why does it sound familiar?'

"I think he's innocent" Mazzy began to talk glancing uncertainly at her companions. She was still trying to make up her mind about them, a colorful bunch as they were. The leader seemed very caring about everyone and her powers were both astonishing and frightening, making her very dependent on her strange visions. The druidess seemed more like a leading figure and after considering Mazzy directed her words to her.

"I don't think he's lying and he needs our help… I mean your help. I know we're not going to travel together long and I didn't know about your deal with the Cowled Wizards, but it is a sinister organization, unworthy of any trust. From what I know about them they betray everybody without giving it a second thought."

Daria considered before slowly lifting her hand.

"Let me touch your sword." She said to the man standing in front of her. There was one certain way to find out whether they could trust him.

"What kind of evil magic is this?" He asked scowling, but she didn't listen any longer. She didn't ask him to receive permission, but not to be hacked to pieces should she lay a hand on the blade without a warning. She felt a vision like a kick straight into stomach and staggered backward thumping on one of the half-elves.

"We will help you" Daria said panting, trying to shake herself off after another bloody image. Someone's arms circled around her and she hoped it was Xan, not angry at her anymore, trying to comfort her, before she felt a hand grabbing her throat and strangling her.

"Everybody back off, else I kill her." It was the second ranger, the one who almost stabbed Jaheira previously. Daria realized she must have broken an enchantment holding him in place when she bumped into him. At least he didn't have a dagger this time. Daria was too tired to as much as fear after her recent divinations and she just fell limply into his hold. She couldn't catch a breath, but she was too worn-out to struggle. Through a mist she saw a vision of a little half-elven boy clutching woman's dress, most likely his mother given their resemblance between them, standing in the middle of the filthy street of athkatlan slums, rain pouring down on them. The woman said something and stroked the child's head gently trying to smile and then turned to a cloaked man standing in front of them.

"I'm ready" she said and Daria noticed that tears merge with raindrops on her face.

"You are guilty of using illegal druidic magic and thus will be transported…" the vision ended sharply and the sun elf became aware of the surroundings again moments before hitting the ground. Her attacker was on the floor right beside her, his already broken nose bleeding again after being hit by Valygar. The dark skinned ranger was furious standing over his former comrade.

"You will go to Imnesvale to face consequences of your actions. Don't return here until you do" Valygar said with barely contained fury.

He turned to Daria trying to get up and held up his hand to help her.

'Too much' she thought when another image began forming, her mind too tired to discern anything from the hazy shapes. She pushed it back gathering the weak reserve of strength she had left to stand up straight. The half-elven brothers left through the door already, tearing through the rain beginning to pour from the sky again, her party letting them go. Both of the team healers were already by her side taking care of her bruised neck.

"Anomen, could you get Nalia and Yoshimo from this rain and invite them inside?" she mumbled to the priest once he was done with the healing and then turned to Valygar. "We should talk."

***

Daria didn't remember the most of the conversation, words unable to penetrate exhaustion clouding in her head, but she was happy to be able to seat on one of the chairs in the room. Jaheira did most of the talking and the diviner decided to thank her once they were alone. Since the time they escaped from the dungeon the druidess was taking care of her, showing her tender side of character Daria rarely could see before, but needed so much now. It was like the druidess became a different person to help her ward stand firmly on her feet again, sustaining her harsh facade in front of the others, but caring and kind inside. Daria knew she would stand a chance in the dungeon without her support, putting a shaken and emaciated girl back together enough so she would be able utter her spells to shield herself from the goblins and mephits infesting the grimy corridors. Jaheira's new way to treat her healed her mind as much as her spells healed her body and though the scars remained it could be much worse were it not for the druidess.

The arrangements finally ended and Daria was relieved to hear that they were staying in the cabin until the next day, despite the sun still shining high above the horizon, partly covered by the rainclouds. She was anxious to help Imoen, but she didn't think she could stand on her own now, not to mention walking. Her eyes were closing on their own accord and she struggled to focus on anything, not to fall asleep on her seat. She heard the bustling outside, her party most likely setting camp near the cabin, but she was left alone to rest. The two rooms were apparently too small to give shelter to the whole group. She became aware of Valygar sitting in front of her, examining her closely.

"You said you are a mage. Why did you follow such a dark and dangerous path?" he asked, but she couldn't detect disapproval in his tone. Was he simply curious? Was he trying to persuade her to leave her 'dark' studies?

"I don't consider magic art any more evil than swordsmanship or archery. It's a profession like any other" she answered simply.

"You say so, but I have seen the corrupting influence of it and the gruesome effects it had on simple by-passers. You don't seem to be in a good condition either."

"It's because of my precognitions – I have an inborn talent in divinations, but it is exhausting." 'More and more each time I use it' she thought. She was answering his questions automatically, not minding what she says. She didn't have the strength to mind anymore.

"Inborn? Is it sorcery?"

"No, I still have to study like any other mage, but the visions…" She hoped he wouldn't have to witness any nightmares tonight. It wouldn't be a good start for a friendship. "My father taught me the runes and…" she lost the track. She couldn't remember what she was talking about just a second ago.

"But your father isn't here anymore, is he? Not many mages care for their children". He knew something about it, she could tell. And he said his family was tainted with magic…

"He died." It didn't hurt anymore to say that Gorion was dead. He was gone for so long and she accepted it. She didn't have a choice.

"Did his powers bring it down on him?" he barely heard the consideration and pity in his tone.

"No, he sacrificed himself protecting me from the bandits when we were attacked." 'It wasn't Gorion's Art that led him to his death. It was his step-daughter's heritage. My heritage'.

"I will take you to my room until your comrades set the tents…" he finally noticed that she couldn't keep up to the conversation and he wasn't helping with his questioning. She probably earned at least a bit of his trust for now.

"My name is Daria. I forgot to introduce myself" she interrupted.

"Lady Daria" it was the first time he tried to sound like a true noble, but it seemed he wasn't at all used to the regal manners. "…allow me to take you to my room." She leaned on him standing up, but it wasn't enough to let her walk. He took a quick look around and lifted her from the ground easily, taking her to a room and placing in a bed under careful watch of Jaheira, observing his every move from the corner.


	16. The Border between a Dream and Reality

„**The Border between a Dream and Reality"**

Daria woke up feeling an unknown danger leaping over her. She sat on the bed and through one of the windows saw the pale moon rising above the horizon, sky purpled by the remaining colors of the setting sun. The dusk would fall soon and with the silver glow of the moon her dreams would come, taking her once more underground, to the dark halls of her nightmares. 'I woke up just in time it seems' she thought with some measure of relief.

The cabin was empty, but she could hear the voices of her friends outside, Valygar's low tone accompanied by Yoshimo's jokes and Anomen's boasting. She decided to join them in the camp after considering shortly. She didn't want to stay alone in a moonlit room, not a very romantic or contemplative atmosphere for someone with an 'allergy' to full moon. She wasn't fully rested and she was aware of what she was doing, exerting herself too much in her current state, but she needed the tiredness to stay sane, not to think of what she lost already and what she may yet lose in the future.

The ground outside was damp after the recent rain, but the tents were solid and apparently waterproof. She quietly made her way to the fireplace, dark cloak concealing her shape in the shadows, and sat by one of the trees, close enough to feel the distant warmth of the fire. All of her party members were gathered around it, though Nalia was already asleep on one of the bedrolls, but no one noticed her silent shape, crouched under a tree.

"And then I thrust a spear through the monster's spine saving the other squires!" Anomen finished another one of his tales. He didn't seem to care or notice than no one believes a word of what he says. He looked around as if expecting applause.

"In my homeland, the distant Kara-Tur, there are none such mighty beasts as wyverns. There are however…" Yoshimo smoothly began one more story, becoming a new center of interest.

Xan was the only one not paying any attention to the conversation, fully absorbed by his spellbook. He sat a bit further from the group on the relatively dry part of the ground covered with a blanket. Daria knew she could snatch him from the camp without anyone noticing.

She wasn't a stealth master like Yoshimo, or even a beginner like Nalia, but growing up with Imoen gave her plenty of occasions to being compelled not to be found and she received few tips from her sister. She stepped on one or two twigs on her way, but Minsc's thunderous laughter came just in time to obscure the noise.

"We need to talk" she said quietly, touching the enchanter's shoulder. He flinched from surprise and turned his eyes to her nervously.

"Why would we need to?" He couldn't say he didn't want to talk to her. It would be too cruel even if he really didn't want to.

"Please Xan. I won't take a lot of your time." As a matter of fact she was taking a lot of his time, diverting him from accomplishing his mission and postponing his return to Evereska, but the phrase was too good to pass.

He sighed heartbreakingly, but let her lead him away from the camp and the warmth, deeper into the forest where they could talk in private. She started instantly after they stopped surrounded closely by the trees and bushes.

"I wanted to apologize again for the last night… no, let me finish" she said when he opened his mouth to respond. "I know I said something upsetting and I hurt you. I can see as much. I'm very sorry. Was it something about your past? Because I tried to remember and…"

"No it wasn't… about the past. It was nothing." Nothing that made him avoid her all day. Nothing that made him sweat in her presence like he never did before.

"You don't have to tell me, if you don't want to. But you never avoided me like that and I wanted… Is there any way I can make it up for you?"

"Daria… There is no need to make up for anything. I was a bit moody, but I was tired and obviously my frame of mind means little given the fact that we are not going to live long enough to worry about _that_. I simply did not have much sleep last night" 'because I couldn't stop thinking what would happen if I stayed in your room at least few seconds longer' he didn't think that. The thought just appeared, but it certainly wasn't his. He sighed, but it seemed false in his ears. It wasn't melancholy that made him sight. It was just a cover-up. "You shouldn't be sorry because of it."

She smiled with this new smile of hers, wistful and almost sad.

"I'm glad" she said and before he realized what she's doing she moved forward, close to him. Her movements weren't fast and she seemed to be acting with consideration, as if probing how far she can walk on a thin ice. She embraced him slowly, putting her head on his chest. He could feel her hands moving to circle around him once more, like then, like the night before. It was the slowest of tortures and it took all his willpower to stand immobile, keeping his hands from doing something in their own accord, like returning the hug, stroking her back, his face aching to be buried in her chestnut hair. How could he never feel it? How could he just stand, with her being so close, before? His heart was racing in his chest like it was about to explode any second and he knew he couldn't take it anymore. It simply hurt too much.

With one move he put his hands on her shoulders and pushed her away on the distance of outstretched arms. It wasn't an instinct. His instincts were telling him to do something entirely different. He paled seeing complete disbelief and shock on her face.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean…" by Seldarine, he didn't mean it like that, he didn't want to hurt her.

"No, I understand." He was terrified hearing how terribly emotionless her voice sounded. "I was too bold. It's about the scars, yes?"

It took few moments for Xan to actually understand what scars she meant. By that time she already had her hood back on and was turning to leave.

"Daria!" he reached to stop her.

"It's fine Xan. I'm sorry I took your time." The dead tone of her voice remained, but she was already gone.

***

The leader of the team appeared on the glade, where the cabin was located, almost running. He watched with rising surprise as she knelt by her pack rummaging through its contents, ignoring her other companion's greetings and questions. No one but him seemed to realize she didn't come from the direction of the cabin, but from the path leading to the middle of the forest. She found what she was looking for after a moment of hurried searching and drew a finely made bottle, full of clear liquid. Then she stood up slowly, holding the bottle's neck. He couldn't see her eyes from under the dark hood she seemed to be reluctant to part with, even among her trusted friends, but there was something strange the way she was holding the simple item. He almost felt the hatred emanating from her.

He saw her take a slow, deliberate swing and rapidly throw the glass flask at one of the trees. The bottle crushed at the contact with the wood, bursting in a fountain of liquid, the smell of alcohol immediately filling the air.

"Child…!" Only Jaheira managed to utter something.

Only then the elven woman turned to look at them, panting, her face still in her hood.

"There's a pond north of here, not far away, the one we passed by coming here. I'm going to take a bath." He couldn't make out the emotions raving in her voice, because of the heavy breathing, but there certainly were a lot of them.

"Wait. I'm going with you." The druidess stood up from a stump that served her as a stool.

"I need some time alone." A quick flash of silver appeared under the hood. "Nothing will happen to me" the diviner said before the half-elven woman had a chance to say anything. Jaheira was taken aback for a split second, but that was enough for Daria to disappear in the bushes.

As soon as she was gone Xan emerged on the glade, coming from the same direction where the sun elf came minute before.

"Where is she?" he asked, breathing heavily as well. His robes were torn by the bushes in few places, but he didn't seem to notice it.

"She went to the pond…" Jaheira said, surprisingly helpful. The enchanter immediately turned to walk in the direction of the small pool they saw before. "…to bathe" the druidess ended the sentence. Xan halted.

"Everybody had their turn in telling tales already. Now it should be yours." Jaheira's voice was sweet as honey, but everybody already knew that someone was going to pay for the druidess being caught off guard by her ward. And it was obvious who it was going to be.

"Come. Sit down and tell us what happened."

Valygar knew by then he was caught up in the middle of quite a tangled story.

***

And Xan was caught between an anvil and a hammer. He couldn't go after Daria, because it would end in even less comfortable situation than it was now, though it could hardly be any worse, and staying meant a long and difficult conversation with Jaheira, the kind with many witnesses and prolonging moments of silence. He fought the urge to lunge into the bushes after Daria, but at the moment he could only deal more trouble to her. He had to talk to her as soon as she comes back. And that meant…

Jaheira gestured him to seat at a stump she occupied previously, standing near the fireplace. That meant he had to stay, but gods knew he didn't have a clue about what to say.

"You can start now" the druidess allowed charitably when he took a sit. All the other party members were avoiding eye contact, pretending to be busy with something else. Yoshimo took out his tools already arranged in neat order and started examining them one by one, Minsc began to sharpen the Sword of Chaos, despite that magical weapons didn't require sharpening and Anomen began to polish his already mirror-clean armor. Nalia woke up at the sound of a bottle hitting a tree, but seeing Jaheira glaring daggers at Xan she immediately covered herself with a blanket and pretended to have fallen asleep again. Valygar appeared to be somewhat lost at what exactly was happening, but followed the others' example and busied himself with notching arrows. No one was looking at him, but Xan was surprisingly certain that they were all going to listen to his every word.

"Ehm… Daria said she wanted to talk…" Xan began to talk after deciding that he would have to make up something now.

"Yes?" Jaheira's tone was faultlessly polite and expressed only moderate curiosity.

"She wanted to apologize for the previous…" It was hopeless. No matter what he said it sounded wrong.

"The previous?" and Jaheira wasn't helping.

"The things she said last night." She said nothing last night, but he only said she wanted to apologize for it.

"And then?" Jaheira asked after a long moment of silence. Xan run out of ideas about what to say.

"And then I was a hopeless inconsiderate fool" he said finally, sighing. His shoulders slumped, but he had nothing left to do, but to say what happened.

"I am not good at comforting. It is pointless given the fact we all are meant to die, most likely soon, in some dump dungeon or crypt. A chance of meeting our end in the middle of woods, under a clear sky, preferable as it is, hardly brings me any kind reassurance" he began. Valygar seemed to be stunned by this declaration, but all others took it stoically. Even Mazzy already had a chance to get a sample of his outlook on life.

"What exactly did you say to her?" Jaheira was now more resigned than angry. She should have known better than to leave her ward alone with the enchanter for more than a minute when she was in her forlorn state. It was like storing scrolls by the fireplace. They only needed one spark. Now she had to assess the damage and save as much as she could.

It wasn't about what he said, but what he had done, Xan thought, but he never got a chance to say it, as the exact moment he opened his mouth to talk a thrilling scream came from the direction of a pond in the north. He immediately forgot about what he was about to say, about everything – Jaheira, the camp and his explanations, hearing pure terror in the elven voice, in Daria's voice, screaming in the distance. He drew his Moonblade and broke into run, the thinking part only kicking in when his legs were already on full speed.

"You two, come with me! The rest stays to guard the camp!" he heard Jaheira's voice somewhere behind him, but he didn't even thought of slowing down to wait for the rest, as the scream already ended as unexpectedly as it began. It could be a matter of seconds, he could already be too late… He sped up.

***

Daria reached the pond as fast as she could, before Jaheira could find some reasonable excuse to come with her. She sharpened her hearing checking if anyone was going after her and sighed with relief hearing no one coming. Under the rising moon her senses extended to examine every leaf on every tree, every animal lurking by the tree roots and every bird sleeping in its nest, the lack of light being only a minor inconvenience to the diviner. She could hear Xan falling into Jaheira's clutches, back in the camp, but she muffled the sound of his voice before her precognition got too spoiled. She blocked every thought connected with the enchanter and forced her heart to obey her wishes. She hastily removed her robes and dived into the chilly water meaning to distract herself from her own emotions. It was freezing and she fought the shiver shaking her whole body, clenching her teeth. She tried to swim, but it was too cold and she only resisted it long enough to wash herself from the dirt before being forced to get out.

A sudden noise in the bushes made her flinch in surprise and instantly sharpen her sight to penetrate the shadows, but it was only an owl, scared by her proceedings by the water. All around her the pond was quiet and undisturbed. She put her clothes on, hiding the scars covering her whole body. Not the heroically looking neatly lined marks she saw on many pictures in the books of Candlekeep library, but a hard and itching disfigured tissue, unpleasant in touch, aching at rapid movements. She never had much use of vanity in her life and now she regretted it bitterly. She wished she had worn the dresses and did the other things associated with beauty while she still could. Jaheira told her it will get better given time, but Daria knew the scars would remain. She scolded herself for such a childish thinking. Why would she want to be pretty anyway? She was an adventurer, a mage, she needed to be more practical, more rational.

The sun elf donned her hood and prepared to come back to the camp. By then she knew what she was going to do. She would give Xan a wide space and let him get used to the new situation. She didn't need him to hold her close. It was just to make her feel a bit better, but she could live without it. Maybe the barrier between them would falter after some time. She could wait. She wasn't a melodramatic adolescent to cry because she needs a hug. Not anymore.

Suddenly someone grabbed her forearm in a steel grip making her yelp in pain and she was turned forcefully to face her attacker. She raised her eyes to see a strange armor exposing a bare chest of its owner, metal covering the well-built shoulders and neck, and intense blue eyes looking at her with sadistic glee from the otherwise emotionless face.

"Come, godchild. It's time for more… experiments" a cold and detached voice from her memories echoed. Magic was stemming from his fingers radiating to her arm.

She screamed. She screamed with all her strength and despair, like she screamed back in her cage, putting everything that was left of her in the last thing she had - her scream. She stopped only when she choked, the cry ending abruptly. She fell on her knees aware she's alone by the pond. She pressed her forehead to the ground, circling her arms around her knees and cried her helpless tears.

How she hated the full moon nights and the visions, but what hurt her most was that it didn't take more than a split second to wipe out all her hopes, making her believe she was still in the dungeon, that all of this was a product of her mind, finally driven mad by the never-ending tortures and experiments. Deep inside she still couldn't accept that she was free and dreaded the moment of awakening. She _knew_ Irenicus couldn't be here, he couldn't have found her, but she didn't believe it.

Someone was calling her name from the forest, but she didn't trust her ears anymore. All she wanted was to lie on the ground until the dawn came, ending this horrible time, prophesied by the full moon. Few people were coming closer to the clearing around the pool of water and she gathered all the reserves of will she had left trying to stand, leaning her back on a tree trunk, some primary instincts, present in every living adventurer, guiding her actions. She didn't manage to stand up, but she held her hands up ready to cast. And then her heart began to thump rapidly when she realized that there's someone on the other side of the tree behind her, someone surrounded with a chilling aura she knew so well. She lowered her palms. What was a point of resisting? She couldn't win against _him_.

Someone entered the clearing, holding something incredibly bright in his right hand. Upon seeing her sitting by the tree motionless with blank expression and face covered with tears, the newcomer hurried towards her, getting tangled in his torn robes along the way. Halfway from her his weapon fell from his grasp, but he never stopped, desperate to get to her as fast as mortally possible.

"Xan?" she muttered dazzled, when he finally reached her and she saw the look of absolute terror on his face.

"Thank you, Corellon" he whispered, taking her in his arms, squeezing all air from her lungs. But it didn't matter to her at the slightest. She could manage without the air for some time and it was much harder to live without him.


	17. Heaven and Earth

„**Heaven and Earth"**

She was taken like a queen back to the cabin, carried by Minsc, Xan never leaving her side, holding her hand all the time. Jaheira identified her state as a shock after another one of her visions and Daria silently agreed with her. The diviner hasn't even said a word all the time, forcing her body to relax as she was checked up by the druidess, but she wasn't asked anything as she was clad in another cloak, her wet hair covered, Anomen using one of his spells to calm her racing heart and Minsc lifting her with ease. She felt like a heavily wounded warrior being taken from the battlefield, but for once she didn't protest. The main reason was that she really felt emotionally worn out and was reluctant to isolate herself from her friends, but the other cause, making the main reason a bit less 'main', was that her gloved hand was still tightly held by someone's usually cold fingers, making her care a bit less whether she was being carried, dragged or left on the ground.

In the camp a welcoming committee already gathered by the fire. Nalia gasped dramatically seeing their leader being carried by the berserker, and even usually lighthearted Yoshimo seemed strangely distraught. Daria wasn't responding, Minsc steady pace of walking drawing her into a trance-like state, but Jaheira quickly shooed everybody back to their work, declaring that her ward was going to be fine as long as she gets some peace and rest. She only stopped to ask Valygar if they can occupy his room for the night, offering him one of the tents instead. She let Minsc in for a moment to help her put the weary elf to bed, before closing the doors shut behind her.

Daria didn't react when she heard Jaheira beginning to cast a spell, moving her hands smoothly over her bed in a second room closed behind heavy wooden doors, but she twitched at the realization that it wasn't a healing, but a dispel. It was already too late to stop the magic at work and a tickling white shroud enveloped the diviner, disappearing in no time along with the illusion masking her face, revealing the sorry self she hid underneath.

"I was surprised when Nalia mentioned that she saw you are using illusions on yourself. At first I couldn't believe you would behave in such an immature way, hiding the state of your health from me. But then I thought than I should at least check before ignoring young Nalia completely" Jaheira said with a studied tone, practiced to make Daria feel exactly how she felt right now. Immature. The healer raised her ward's chin examining her eyes and skin closely.

"It's not like that Jaheira…" Daria broke her silence averting her eyes.

"Why did you do it?" the druidess' tone changed to soft and caring, expressing only concern. Daria never heard her sound like that. She was expecting a lecture, or even the barking tone Jaheira used when she was really mad. Even her face looked different without the hawk-like sharpness attached to it almost permanently. The elf felt she can confess everything to this new Jaheira, that she will be understood and she wasn't going to be angry this time.

"My face is… the last part of me that _he_ hadn't destroyed completely" Daria wasn't going to sound weak, or overemotional. She would simply say it, that was the plan. "After all the time in the dungeon, the spells, fire, knives and experiments I have so many scars, but I can still look into a mirror without flinching, when I look at my face. I wanted this last thing to seem nice, without the effects of tiredness. I could have at least that..." she stopped taking a shuddered breath. It was too dramatic for her likening, but her voice was breaking every time she was looking back at the times she spent under Irenicus' 'care'.

Jaheira gave her a long look, a fire from the oil lamp standing at the desk dancing in her eyes. Daria couldn't guess what she was thinking.

"But remember to show yourself to me every now and then" she said finally and bend over the elf kissing her gently on a forehead.

"Thank you" Daria said. The druidess smiled nervously as if only now realizing how strangely she was acting.

"I'll send you someone with some food in a moment. Are you sleepy? You shouldn't sleep tonight. I'll set watches to keep you awake." Jaheira began to sound more like her old self, bossing around. She quickly summarized what needs to be brought into the cabin and went outside to throw some orders and feel more like herself again.

Upon leaving the cabin Jaheira almost bumped at Xan standing by the door. She instantly recoiled and saw worry written all over his face.

"You are going to make up for what you did today" she stated with a tone of voice that suggested she wouldn't take 'no' for an answer. "You will take a bowl of what we have to eat and Daria's spellbook and take it to the cabin. You will stay with her until I come back, not leaving her for more than a second! Keep her from falling asleep, make sure she is comfortable and eats everything." She hoped the feeling of guilt he felt, and she could make out from his features as clearly as seeing the sun on a cloudless day's sky, would motivate him to do exactly what she said. "And for nature's wrath don't even think about saying that we're doomed or other such nonsense! Sound optimistic!" she ended.

He gulped at the last sentence. 'You won't teach a fish to fly, no matter how much effort you put into it' Jaheira recalled one of her old mentor's many sayings.

"Just say 'life is beautiful' instead of 'we're doomed'" she advised. "At least she will be able to laugh at you."

If he was offended he didn't show it. Instead he took one of the cleanest bowls they had and went to get the food at once. Jaheira watched him for a second, checking if he wasn't about to start sighing or doom-saying, considering whether she should tell him what she would do to him if, after her return, Daria was at least mildly unhappy, but decided against it. She picked her pack from the ground and went back to the forest. She had other things to take care of.

***

Xan stopped by the inner door of the house holding a bowl in his hand. He considered shortly, making sure he remembers what to say and what _not_ to say, and knocked quietly.

"Come in" he heard a voice coming from behind the door. He lingered for a moment, feeling strange uncertainty, but entered.

Daria was lying in bed, still clad tightly in a cloak with her eyes closed, but she opened them to look at him. There might have been a glint of something in them when she saw him, but it could be only his imagination. He wasn't an expert on hope after all. She didn't look tired at all, but he suspected it was because of illusion magic at work. He wondered if he should tell Jaheira about it, but Daria would never forgive him that and that was the least of what he wanted. She didn't say a word as he handed her a bowl with Minsc's finest rabbit soup and moved a lone chair standing in the room to her bed. He tried not to watch her struggling with a spoon, her fingers numb after recent cold bath and still not fully flexible. He knew better than to offer his help, as she always hated being treated with exaggerated care, even if it was caused by genuine concern, and he sincerely doubted she would let anybody feed her.

He took the bowl from her once she finished and took the blankets out of a wrecked wardrobe standing in a pile of dust in one of the corners. Valygar told him he can make use of all he finds inside, but he didn't have any use for a nest of mice or a swarm of moles, so he took only the blankets, which seemed to be placed there only recently, not completely moth-eaten yet. The ranger wasn't very caring towards the cabin, but that was hardly a surprise, since from the first look one could say he preferred seeing only night's sky over his head at rest.

Daria didn't say a word as he wrapped her carefully in a cover, and then another, replacing the coats. Her eyes followed his every movement without any expression and he couldn't stop the clumsiness in his efforts wondering when she would finally scold him for treating her like handicapped. Nothing like that happened and he was beginning to fear that something was wrong when the blank expression hadn't disappeared from her face even for a short moment. When he adjusted the pillow under her head and she hasn't as much as blinked he snapped.

"Say something!" he whispered with anguish.

"Umm…" he caught her off guard and her eyes widened with surprise. And then her lips began to curl, though she looked as if she was trying to hold to her stony mask. He felt that even his ears are becoming bright red at a realization that he made himself a fool, when she began to giggle in her pillow. He sighed and bit his lip before saying anything.

"Life is beautiful…" he tried. The phrase sounded incredibly alien in his mouth, not to mention how nonsensical it was, and Daria hadn't even noticed the different words, his forlorn tone of voice speaking for itself. He knew Jaheira's plan wouldn't work. He hid his face in his hands waiting for the flush to fade.

"Are you alright?"

And now he made her worried about him. Why did Jaheira send him of all people? She could have sent Anomen. He would do a better job at keeping the conversation, with his countless fabled tales of how he saved this entire order of his from the clutches of some terrible wyvern. And Daria seemed to like his company, the enchanter thought bitterly.

"No, I am not" he said looking back at her. "I'm truly surprised that you aren't weary of my company yet after how I treated you, and I honestly would blame you for that. I feel terrible for pushing you away back then. It really wasn't my intention to act like that. It was an accident." Now that sounded original. How could pushing anyone from an embrace be an accident?

She shot a mischievous smile he learned to fear, as it was usually inseparable with yet another prank she was preparing with Imoen. Few months before he would already be at the door, but now he felt like seeing the sun after long days of rain, vivid glow warming his face. Only the remnants of his instincts, worked out after countless pranks, kept him from smiling back.

"There is one way to make up for it" she said, still grinning, and sat down on the bed, extending her arms to both her sides. She pretended to close her eyes, but he knew she was peeking to see his reaction, a bit of silver light seeping from under her eyelids as she was waiting for an embrace. In one swift movement he hugged her, pressing her to his chest with all the strength he could muster, keeping her close for a lasting moment. It wasn't hard now, when he remembered how terrified he was when he heard her scream, when he saw her half-lying by the tree, when he realized that it might have been the last time he held her then and when he couldn't stand the thought that he pushed her away. Now he could hold her and feel only care and… friendship, the uncomfortable sensation gone without a trace. Nothing he felt now mattered, as long as she was alive and well. The scent of jasmine was braided into her wet hair and he knew that it was the most beautiful scent he ever felt.

Daria expected a shy, momentary squeeze, making him embarrassed, or maybe refusal she could answer pretending she was only joking, but she was far from complaining at what she got. Come to think of it she actually fell victim to his jest instead the other way around. She threw her arms around his neck and wished for it too last as long as it could. She soon ran out of breath and he released her, pinking slightly seeing her breathing deeply.

"…sorry" he muttered.

"Any time mellonamin, any time" she said with a flushed smile.

***

They talked through half of the night, freely, like back in the 'old' times, arguing teasingly about whose school of magic is more refined and sharing the new spells they learned. Daria tried to avoid recalling their previous adventures sensing she might be missing few vital events, a side-effect of Irenicus' attempts to block her divinations, but she listened with curiosity about the enchanter's short stay in Evereska and his journey to Amn. By the midnight Jaheira came to check if she has to throttle Xan for making her ward miserable, but was satisfied seeing them talking without any restraints. She sent Minsc to replace the elf by Daria's bed and urged him to get some rest despite his attempts to convince her he wasn't sleepy.

The large berserker had a different way to keep the diviner awake and even though his tales about Rashemen reminded her too much of Gorion's bedside tales to keep her eyes opened, Boo's cold and wet nose touching her face and his whiskers tickling her nose made every attempt of drifting to reverie futile. The method was as effective as irritating, but she could stand having a hamster running all over her bed. The situation could change any moment though, if the rodent decided to do something more than just running. She only took a bath and wasn't up for spending the rest of the night in a smelly bed.

By the morning even a lively hamster fell asleep, curling into a fuzzy ball on his favorite spot on her belly. Minsc's legendary snoring was shaking the small cabin, but it wasn't enough to stop the wave of tiredness closing Daria's eyes. With great effort she managed to focus on reading her spellbook until the first ray of sunshine dawned on the east and only then let herself doze off, thunderous lullaby of large Rashemi's snore ringing in her ears.

***

As far as the three night of full moon were the worst time in the month Daria could think of, the following few days were the best. She had a perspective of over three nightmare-free weeks, at the next rest she planned to skip her watch and make the most of the time to make up for the previous nights, and she could breathe easier without the fat round moon over her head. She would be happy were it not for rescuing Imoen not going as it was planned. But she could pretend that everything was going to be fine, as long as they had some aim ahead of them. No dark foreboding could cloud her relief.

The sky didn't share her good mood and from the moment the party left the cabin rain poured down on them in constant stream, only pausing for a moment, as if to take a breath, and began to fall with renewed strength by the noon. Valygar directed them in a straight line east, on the road through the forest surprisingly resembling a swamp now, without crossing the village. He seemed to believe both of his comrades, the rangers, would inform the mayor about the happenings in the forest and face his judgment for killing Jeb, but somehow Daria wasn't that optimistic. She'd rather expect two brothers to frame them into murder to avoid responsibility, but she couldn't help it in any way, and since they were leaving the area for good, or so she hoped, it really didn't matter.

They parted with Mazzy when the road divided in two directions leading west, to Athkatla, and south, to Trademeet. Daria hugged the small woman at their parting, surprising her with effusiveness. In exchange they were invited to visit the Fentan's family house should they ever visit the little town. The diviner wasn't certain whether she should let the halfling paladin go alone, but she hadn't sensed any dangers on the road ahead. She did ask her new friend to be careful though. Extra care would never hurt.

Valygar had a hard time at finding a company for himself during the long march. Out of rule he avoided the mages. He tried to talk with Minsc at first, expecting a fellow ranger to share some of his views, but only managed to receive a permission of getting a counsel from Boo, once the hamster would wake up. He carefully stepped back and approached Jaheira, but after first few sharp retorts he decided that walking alone had many advantages he hadn't noticed earlier. Few moments later Daria engaged him into a conversation and even listened to his full list of reasons why the magic shouldn't be trusted. The elven diviner was in such a good humor, that she managed to actually listen to one of Anomen's tales and even considered that it might have a seed of truth hidden in it, if one took into account that the deeds were accomplished by an entire squadron of paladins instead of a lone squire. She tried to share her optimism with her friends while it lasted.

She knew they would need it when they finally reach Athkatla.


	18. It Never Rains, It Pours

„**It Never Rains, It Pours"**

The party reached the gates of the City of Coins an hour before the sunset, blending with the diverse crowd flowing through the main gates at every time of day and night. They already had a plan, set during the long hours of marching through plains and roads. As simple as it was, it consisted of sneaking into the city by the dusk and staying through the night in Copper Coronet, the closest inn to the location of the Sphere. Before the dawn they would enter the construction and try to find and kill Lavoc. Daria had a vague feeling that things were going to prove a bit more complicated, but she made an effort of appearing optimistic, knowing how a worried diviner was working for party's morale. Khalid always exaggerated even her smallest frown, taking it for gods knew what. Heaviness in the chest was all that remained of the heartbreaking pain after the loss of a friend. Given time all emotions dulled and memories faded. Daria thought it was both a blessing and a curse. Thinking that Khalid and Dynaheir were only memories now made her feeling guilty she survived and she decided that she needs a distraction or she was going to ruin every positive emotion in the radiant of two miles.

"Anomen, could you tell me more about the Most Radiant Order of the Glowing Heart?" she was almost certain she made a mistake in at least one part of the title, but it was these self-important paladins' fault. She didn't ask them to choose such a long and complicated name for themselves.

The priest smiled at her, confirming her suspicions about the mistake, but complied getting into details of the Order's activities all over the Sword Coast. She didn't pay much attention to his words, preferring to watch as his face changed when he began his favorite topic. He didn't remind her of Ajantis anymore, different character hidden behind the chivalrous manners and exaggerated tales of his deeds. There was a fascination in his voice, a dream of becoming a knight guiding him like light in the darkness, probably the dark events in his childhood she could vaguely sense. She could almost see the moment of young priest being accepted by the paladins, standing proud in a high building of the headquarters. Someone with such a bright future ahead… She would feel envious, were she not caught up in this dream as well. She had her part in it, hadn't she? Maybe rescuing Imoen would bring him enough fame to pass his trial.

She felt something warm inside her die out when she watched as his grin disappear, replaced by the look of torment only an hour later. He was reading a letter left for him in the Copper Coronet by a courier from the Order again and again, as if expecting that the massage would change before his eyes. Something bad must have happened, but this time her abilities didn't give her any clues. With care she took the piece of paper from the priest's hands when he stopped reading and she studied it quickly.

"Sweet Seldarine…" she whispered. 'With greatest sympathy… your sister Moira murdered… unknown attackers…' She glanced at the priest sitting at the chair, looking at her with despair and uncertainty, as if he was praying for her to say it was all not true.

"I am so sorry, Anomen" she said with constricted throat. Someone took the letter from her hand, but she didn't turn to check who it was.

"I need to go to my home in Government District" the priest said, getting up. He hadn't even waited for her answer as he dashed outside, probably forgetting all about their plan to keep a low profile. She immediately went after him, only stopping by the doorframe to look at the rest of the party gathered around Yoshimo, who held the letter.

"What are you waiting for?" Daria addressed them. "We're coming with him. I'm not going to let him walk through the streets alone at night."

It was worse than Daria imagined, worse than she saw in few blurry foresights. An undeniably rich in its past estate of the Delryn family, was now in a state of complete ruin, every valuable item sold, beginning from the ornamented tablecloth, through curtains and carpets, ending with the glass from the windows, only old but sturdy furniture remaining inside. There were signs of attempts to at least keep the house clean, but the effect was destroyed by lord Cor Delryn, Anomen's father, sitting in the middle of the floor with a bottle in his hand, leaning on a broken flowerpot with a dead plant in it. No one missed the fact that there were much more of already emptied flasks all over the room.

And the father… Daria couldn't help but thank the heavens from the depth of her heart for a caring and wise step-father Gorion was. She couldn't imagine growing up by the ever drunk and gibbering man, obsessed with his former wealth and seeing enemies behind every corner. He was muttering with hatred and screaming constantly about a foreign trader, Saerk Farrahd, accusing him for every evil of this word and provoking Anomen to get revenge on him for killing his sister. The priest tried to defend himself from his father's abusing words, but eventually he just lowered his head, giving up to the mass of insults coming from the man's mouth.

"Is there any proof that this Saerk is indeed responsible for the murder of your daughter?" Jaheira eventually lost her patience to the man's rambling.

"He took everything from me, that's the proof! I only had Moira left, after my worthless son abandoned me, so he took her as well!" Lord Cor shouted in response. Anomen didn't say a word, but Daria could tell he was angry, the rage only exceeded by his shame.

"But is there any _material_ proof?" the druidess was visibly restraining herself from ending the yelling with her fist.

"What other proof do you need? Saerk has a lot of gold in his house and you can take it all once you kill him" the drunk snickered, probably thinking himself clever. Now Daria joined Jaheira in the sudden desire to punch him straight in the mouth. She pitied her ashamed friend, knowing only too well how it was to be feeling guilty about one's parents.

"My lady… Would it be to bold to ask, if you could find who is the killer?" Anomen turned to the diviner. She wondered if he knew how hard it was, without proper preparations and concentration. But the tormented look on his face and the humility… She decided to never laugh at his arrogance again.

She nodded and took few deep breaths gaining as much serenity of mind as she could. She knew it was going to prove hard, but she had to at least try, for Anomen. Jaheira moved to the priest's father to stop his yapping, not to ruin Daria's concentration. Anomen a bit shyly entwined his fingers with hers. At first the sun elf was startled by the gesture, but when she reflected on it for a second she realized that if someone was not going to hold her she would end on a floor of the estate, in a pool of spilled alcohol and… other, more organic liquids. And Xan wasn't strong enough for the job. She tried not to think that he would decline if she asked.

She moved closer to the priest and guided his arms to enfold her.

"Just don't let go of me" she wanted to sound warningly, but changed her tone to gentler last second, deciding that he had enough abuse for one day.

She sharpened her hearing to grasp the sound of Xan's heart, feeling slightly uncomfortable being held by Anomen, though she was happy he left his armor in the Copper Coronet at least and she wouldn't come round with rings of chainmail imprinted on her face.

Seeking a person out in time instead of distance was a completely different thing. Looking back in time was like walking backward, seeing only what was forward and nothing in the direction where she was going. An uneasy feeling was rising in her stomach the further she went. With each step it was harder, as if breaking through air becoming denser and denser, watching day and night changing behind a window of the estate. Looking at Anomen's father drinking backward in time was making her sick. It looked as if he was spitting the alcohol to the bottle instead the other way. When she saw him vomiting it was even worse.

And then she saw it. A hazy image rapidly earning sharpness showed a girl bleeding on the floor, a man with a bloodied knife and his employer, standing behind him in a shadow, an invisible puppeteer, more of a metaphor, than the actual event. Daria was unbelievably stunned to realize that Saerk Farrahd was indeed the killer, as her divinations proved, and the ever-drunk Anomen's father was actually right. Even more shocking was fact that Anomen's father witnessed the murder. The drunk was huddled in the corner, covered in spilled wine, looking at his own daughter being stabbed and left to die. The old drunk didn't say a thing, probably too poisoned by the alcohol he drunk to remember what happened clearly. A calling of death was like a kick in the stomach. Daria hastily began her journey back, feeling something akin to a pressure one could experience while diving deep underwater, forcing down her skull.

Seeing the past was like straining rubber band – returning to the present was certainly easier and the beat of her beloved enchanter's heart was becoming louder the closer she got. But then another vision came, hurting like one of the mad wizard's tortures. Her material body tensed in a sudden spasm and she screamed as she jolted into the future like on a rubber band in fact. A series of images burned her mind like hot iron. Anomen in rage, murdering Saerk's daughter, his polished armor sprayed with blood… proud paladins of the Order surrounding him on his trial in a hall of the headquarters, the priest of Helm being cast away, deprived of his dream and his future, and hollow bitterness appearing in his eyes, making him resemble his father so much... She knew she's trashing violently in Anomen's grasp, even though she couldn't feel nor see it. Someone slapped her in a face to rouse her, but she couldn't stop another series of visions, her body tensing again. Bright hall with statues of three gods… the same story, changed only a little bit and… the successful Trial, earning knighthood and happiness, true happiness only those rare lucky ones experienced, chosen ones who had a wish of their life and managed to fulfill it.

She woke up suddenly after another slap.

"Saerk is not the killer" she whispered at once, limp in the arms holding her. She knew what she had to do, she saw the light in the Helm's priest's eyes and the dream hidden in his heart. She was a part of it indeed, but not the way she expected. And if it was her choice whether he would fulfill his dream or not, than she was willing to pay for it with her silence.

"You worthless dog! You trust this elven wretch more than your father?!" Lord Cor screamed making her cry out in pain caused by his magnified voice. She cuddled into Anomen's tunic trying to muffle the noise.

"I do" she heard Anomen answer barely audibly, quietly enough not to hurt her. Daria felt the movement of air when Jaheira standing before her, smelling with sixty-four different herbs she had in her pack, gestured the man holding the diviner to lead her out.

"If you leave this house now you will never be able to come back! You will become a nameless dog, unworthy of crawling beneath my feet!" the last threats followed them outside as the floor began to crush her feet with every step, but Anomen stayed silent.

"Watch out puny man, or Boo might feast on your eyes" Minsc threat was the last thing they heard from the house.

The diviner made one small step after another, supported by Anomen. His shoulders were shaking, making Daria feel as if she was on a board of a ship during the storm, but he hadn't stopped, or even looked back at his home for the last time. And the diviner knew it was all her fault and that she might have made the wrong decision, but though she could still change it, she didn't say a word.

It took her a while to realize that her nose was bleeding, leaving red stains on the squire's tunic. The healing spells he muttered as quietly as he could stopped the flow, but she felt a bit scared with the rapidness of the vision and her body's reaction to it. She was placed on a bench not far from the estate they just left, and given wide space for the use of her senses only. She tried to recall the list of nutrition she was told to memorize back in Candlekeep with the effects of their deficiency. She was certain that there was nose-bleeding mentioned somewhere in there. What was the point of learning it all by heart, if she forgot it the moment she left the class?

It took total fifteen minutes for her senses to return to normal. It was much more than usual, and even after this time she felt she wouldn't be able to walk. She wiped the blood from her face.

"You can come closer" Daria was relieved that her voice hadn't deafened her when she turned to her companions.

"My lady, I beg your forgiveness for asking you for something like that. Should I know how painful it would be for you, I'd never even mention it. I shouldn't have considered that my father's words could hold any truth in them." Anomen had a haunted look in his face. It was the worst night of his life, but Daria knew it would be better from now on, at least for him. Something was happening with her head and she felt as if she was drunk.

"I need to rest" she said with a faltering voice. The priest moved to pick her up from the bench, but a slender hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"I'll do it" Xan said, looking pointedly at the blood staining priest's tunic. Daria admitted that she did underestimate the enchanter, thinking about him as of a typical mage, whose main strong point was intelligence. She forgot that he was a Moonblade wielder as well and used the longsword, which she couldn't even lift. Because it would turn her into a sad pile of dust on the floor, but that was beside the point. Somehow it didn't cross her mind that a starved for almost three months elven woman was hardly a burden.

"Do you mind if I sleep a bit?" she asked when the enchanter took her in his arms, purple robes more pleasant in touch than priest's rough tunic.

"N-not at all" she heard his heart speeding up when she cuddled herself into him. She really didn't feel like sleeping anymore, savoring every moment deprived of pain and magnified noises, covered by the scent of books and magic and Xan. She made a quiet prayer to thank Labelas that Minsc was still in his armor otherwise all she could savor would be a hamster twiddling on her belly. Xan's skin she could feel through his robe was becoming warmer with every step and she was a bit worried if she's not too heavy, but he didn't complain. Though if he usually complained then the sudden silence could be a reason to be concerned.

She pretended to be asleep and opened her eyes only when she felt the familiar smell of the slums, an equivalent of bathing in sewage wastes for a nose.

"I can walk now" she whispered for his ears only and kissed his chin gingerly. She didn't need to look at his face to now that he was blushing when he carefully placed her on the ground. Jaheira slowed her pace momentarily giving her ward some time to get used to the marching, but it was unnecessary. Daria already felt like after a month of lazing around, a comfortable bliss in her mind not quite in harmony with the tired legs. But the combination was enough to let her walk along with the group.

It was too good to last with her almost legendary bad luck that chased her though the Sword Coast back and forth. Bad luck she used to name 'the call of adventure' before. She wondered how she could ever be that… dumb. A group of armed city guards standing in front of the Copper Coronet was suspicious enough, since Slums rarely being taken into account in the guard patrols. But when the group assembled at the sight of the approaching party it was twice as bad.

"Nalia, my dear, I was hoping to see you here. You disappeared so suddenly after the unfortunate demise of your father." One of the men moved at the front of the group. Daria cursed under her breath. Someone in the inn must have been sent to the Coronet to wait for them to show up, the inn apparently being a place Nalia visited quite often. And since they already paid for the rooms they could be sure they show themselves again this night. She had no idea who the man standing before them was, but since he took a platoon of guards with him on a meeting he couldn't be a friend.

"Isaea Roenall? What are you doing here?" Nalia was surprised, but not in a pleasant way. She was glaring as much as her naïve demeanor allowed.

"I came to make arrangements for our wedding of course. By the word of your father you are my betrothed and the de'Arnise keep now belongs to the Roenall family".

"You may take the Keep, but if you think that I'm going to marry you than you are… you are… wrong!" It seemed young noblewoman couldn't think of any better rudeness than that.

"Surely you don't mean that. You wouldn't break your father's word like that."

"I'm never going to be your wife you - you scoundrel!" Nalia seemed to get angry, but Daria really heard better insults in Candlekeep kitchen as a child. Nalia needed some lessons.

"Then I'm afraid I will have to do what I can to protect you. Nalia de'Arnise, you are under arrest. You are clearly influenced by some powers and cannot make reasonable decisions. As your betrothed I have to ensure your safety."

"…what?" Nalia only stammered.

"Now wait a second! You can't do that!" Daria stood in front of the girl as the guards came forward to seize her.

"I can't? As a high official of the government I can pass my judgment and direct the city guard. Of course you can pass a complaint should you wish so. I'll try to look into it as soon as I can."

"You son of a…!" Daria didn't have Nalia's restrictions towards using coarse language.

"Away with you, peasant! Step aside or you're going to have to deal with the entire city guard of Athkatla." The diviner was pushed aside by one of the guards. Her companions drew their weapons, but their leader immediately regained her balance and hissed them to stop.

"Wise choice" Isaea gave a representative self-important snicker. "Don't take it personally. I'm simply a better man than you will ever be". Daria clenched her teeth so hard that she wasn't certain she would be able to open her mouth ever again.

The guards lead the dumbstruck Nalia, disappearing at the road out of the slums. The diviner's eyes followed them until they were completely out of sight.

"What are we going to do now?" Valygar asked.

"Little Nalia was kidnapped! Boo is in rage!"

"I'll fix him! 'Better man'! He'll regret he was born! I'll dig all dirt from his past since the moment he said his first word!" Daria suddenly exploded like a barrel of gondites' gunpowder, surprising even Minsc.

"My lady, perhaps we could do it the legal way?" Deep tiredness was ringing in Anomen's voice, making him sound like he was only pretending to care. Daria suddenly realized that most of her party was noble born, Jaheira as partly a cormyran noble, Xan a high born in Evereska, not to mention Anomen, Valygar and Nalia. For a moment she felt like a peasant indeed and thought with sudden sympathy about Yoshimo and Minsc, her fraction of 'lower' population.

The approach she presented could be indeed shocking with someone of such upbringing, but she wasn't going to let it pass. She tried to steady herself and calm the anger taking few deep breaths. Isaea Roenall didn't appear like a man who lives an honest and decent life and she decided to hold on to her body in precognition. It vastly decreased her capabilities and all she would usually come up with were few glimpses out of context, but she only needed few clues how to destroy any trace of creditability the noble might had. Freeing Nalia should be easy from then.

"Perhaps you should rest first? You can hardly stand on your own" Daria felt Xan's hand on her shoulder.

"I'm not going to wait until they take her somewhere where I can't reach her!" she answered with ferociousness astonishing even to her.

"Your stubbornness will be your death" he sighed, but didn't push any further sensing a hurting spot. She focused.

'That might prove useful' she thought looking through the images. She already worked out a photographic memory, a most useful tool of every diviner. What was the point of seeing things she couldn't remember for more than a minute? 'Contacts with pirates, slavery, smuggling gems…' that was much more than she expected.

"Daria, please stop" the diviner heard a distressed voice. She came round being held by Minsc and Yoshimo, Xan pressing a bloodied handkerchief to her nose. A wave of warmth enveloped her, Jaheira's or Anomen's healing spell at work, but the blood flow hasn't stopped this time. She couldn't say whose spell it was, because the handkerchief was effectively reducing her screen of view.

"Take her inside" she heard Jaheira. 'Not again' Daria decided grimly. She had enough of being carried like a bag all the time. Her abilities made her weaker physically, but she refused to be a burden. She pressed the bloodied piece of cloth to her nose and got to her feet, stumbling into the inn without anyone's help, her companions right behind her.

"Jaheira, dearest, it's so good to see you." One of the unshaved men by the counter rose from his seat to greet them with a false smile.

"Excuse me, do I know you?" the druidess asked in return.

***

Now there were two of them: Daria with her constantly bleeding nose and Jaheira, coughing and weakened by an unknown curse. The diviner was placed on the bed in her room and left alone to get some rest. She felt like a load stacked in a corner, but she decided to check what's wrong with Jaheira, sensing a diversion. The druidess was attacked by one of the mages accompanying the man who approached her, going by the name Ployer, former baron and slave-trader, exposed years ago by a group of Harpers, Jaheira among them. He most obviously held a grudge against her for ruining his profitable business and decided to invest his last money into revenge. How typically human. The man with three mages disappeared moment after, leaving the half-elven druidess with a nasty curse.

Sharpening hearing resulted in locating her friends talking in the other room they rented, luckily backing onto hers.

"…can't be removed." Daria heard the end of the sentence, spoken by Jaheira.

"It is unusual, but the specifically induced curses may resist basic spells. A personal item may be applied to such task." The morose tone couldn't belong to anyone but Xan.

"Then the only logical course of action would be finding Ployer and discover what he did to curse me." It was Jaheira, logical and somewhat angry.

"But where may he be?" A low voice – Valygar?

"Finding him in a population of the amnian poor might prove difficult my friend." Chirpy and worried at the same time, only Yoshimo could sound like that.

"How much time do you think we have?" Daria heard Xan was trying to be gentle. She felt a shiver going down her spine. How much time before what?

There was a long moment of silence. The diviner strained her hearing.

"Not much more than two days." Jaheira was reluctant saying the words.

"I'll do what I can. I have few contacts in Slums…"

"Just don't mention anything to Daria… yet." Jaheira's words were the last thing the diviner heard.

'Don't mention anything to Daria'? What was that supposed to mean?! She was the leader, why wouldn't they tell her? What did they think she'd do, use her precognition despite the exhaustion? Than they were right. She was worse, much worse than exhaustion before. She survived tortures, starvation and countless days of bleak existence in the dungeon. Did they think she couldn't take one more divination, that she would stand by idly, as they try to find one scoundrel in the sea of corruption and vileness Athkatla was? She couldn't leave Nalia in Isaea's hands and she was supposed to let a woman she considered her mother wither under a curse, dying? She'd rather die herself.

Serene calmness was all she felt when one more time she let the silver glow shine in her eyes. 'Baron Ployer, of the Calimshan Ployers'. It was as simple as following a guide. He was clearly trying to hide, but even covering his head under a blanket would be more effective, her sight penetrating stone walls as effortlessly as if it was steam on the glass one could swipe with one move.

Her nose only bled a little more when she finished the divination, but a headache was included in the list of the aches she now had to put up with. She made herself comfortable in her bed, coming to another phase, the plan making. If she set it all properly Jaheira would be curse-free before the morning and Isaea would be in one big trouble at the same time. And all she needed was a good plan…


	19. A Good Plan

„**A Good Plan"**

It began with an argument. The moment Daria presented her carefully constructed plan, involving a burglary into Roenalls family house, revealing Isaea's contacts with pirates and slave-traders, confronting Ployer and last but not least getting some rest, she got a full-scale battle over her head, made by Jaheira. She couldn't believe that the calm and comforting druidess was the same person as the raging woman standing by her bed, asking her how brainless she was to divine again after being left alone for a single second. The diviner missed the most of it however, since after first few Jaheira's not-so-carefully-chosen-anymore shouts her headache-infected head decided that it's time to turn the lights off and faint.

By the time she woke up the druidess was still visibly pissed, but restrained herself from shouting this time. Daria knew she crossed the line of the druidess' patience dividing in such a state, but she had to. She couldn't wait when one of her friends was hurt, other two imprisoned. She had to act. All her companions were surrounding her bed, Xan looking two points in scale more forlorn than usual. Her nose stopped to bleed finally, but the handkerchief was all red, beyond any chance of saving. She knew he was more worried by her state than the loss of an item, but made a promise to herself to try to find this bloodstains removing spell she heard so much about.

"We need to divide into three groups" the diviner said. Her own voice sounded strangely alien to her. She needed rest, but that could wait a moment longer. She saw that Jaheira is clenching her teeth, but she said nothing.

"Yoshimo, you're in for a bit of a burglary." The bounty hunter nodded unsmilingly. "Inside the Roenalls house there's a book with full account of business operations, including gem smuggling officer Braga in Council Building should be very interested in." She explained in detail the images from inside the house she saw and features of the book.

"Valygar, you and Jaheira will go to the docks." Daria was hesitant to let the druidess out in her state, but judging by her previous yelling she wasn't in that bad condition yet and she wouldn't agree to be left out, hypocrisy as it was. "In a tavern by the name Sea's Bounty you will find the mages who created the curse. They cannot reverse it however, but you can pay them not to appear when Ployer calls for their help again." She took a moment to gather her thoughts. "Please keep your hood on" she warned the ranger. "We don't want any Cowled's agents to recognize you. Near the middle dock there should be a man named Barl, who could point you to the right place to ask about Roenalls' connections with the slavers."

"Xan, Minsc – you're the last group. You are going to locate a house in the eastern slums. It has a characteristic sign on the door." Daria tried to rise on her elbow to scratch the symbol on a piece of paper from her spellbook, but her headache decided to stay on the pillow along with her head. She sighed closing her eyes.

"It's a star in a square with some sort of an animal underneath, green paint" she continued after the room stopped whirling.

"Ployer family's crest. He must have signed his house for the mages to find it" Jaheira explained.

"You will go there and deal with Ployer." Daria didn't know what the former slaver would do. Minsc would go, in case he needed to be hacked to pieces before freeing Jaheira from the curse, and Xan would take care of the other, more official and less drastic alternatives. "You have to take the thing he used to curse Jaheira. It could be anything."

"Magic detecting spell should theoretically work" Luckily Xan didn't have many opportunities to use up his spells on a long boring road to Athkatla.

"Anomen, you're staying with me." Daria momentarily fell asleep after finishing the sentence. It was all she had to say and she couldn't wait much longer with her rest. She didn't manage to say a prayer for her friends' success, but she hoped her god would pardon her for that and guide them nonetheless. Her headache wouldn't let her sleep for long and she would need the priest's spells to get any further respite. She made herself comfortable in the blackness on the other side of her eyes.

***

It certainly wasn't the most fortunate night of Xan's life, but there was hardly a moment in his life from a long time he'd actually consider fortunate. He wasn't fond of wandering about in the poorest districts of the city, even in company of a large berserker, working as a highly effective thug repellent. Being deprived of his enchantments, as meager defense as they were against the dangers lurking around every corner, did wonders to his feeling of security, decreasing it to the level he didn't think accessible. The reason why he couldn't use any magic was unclear, since he saw Anomen casting healing spells outside his house to stop blood pouring from Daria's nose and he didn't seem to suffer any consequences from the officials. Nalia mentioned once that they can use their spells inside the buildings, so the system seemed to be full of holes and nonsense, as most laws imposed by humans. But it was pointless to try to change it and he didn't delude himself that he would be able to avoid such situations in the future. Where his missions would lead him, he would have to go.

Finding one house in a mass of dwellings only a very compassionate or absolutely blind would call buildings was not an easy task without the use of magic. The mud and the smell of Slums didn't make the search any easier or more pleasant. And Xan was impatient to get over it as soon as possible, not only to leave the stinky place. He was worried about Daria, not quite trusting Anomen to take proper care of her. He was a priest, it was true, but he didn't seem very reliable and had a lot of personal trouble on his head. He could easily overlook some important symptom and she would be the one to suffer. And she still had the illusion on her face. Xan tried to tell about it Jaheira, but he couldn't catch her being alone and now clouds of doubt were massing over his head. He needed to find the house and come back before anything happens to his former student.

He missed the sign, almost brushing against it, too lost in his thoughts, despite having an exact copy of it in his hand, painted by Jaheira on a piece of scroll. He only realized his eyes slipped over the house they were looking for, when a series of high squeaks came from Minsc poach. He loosed his fingers readying for casting.

***

Valygar wasn't very surprised when Jaheira used her quarterstaff instead of money to keep the mages from teleporting to help Ployer, should he call them. They weren't in much of a condition to help anyone in the first place, as they sat in the tavern spending the money on ale, but the druidess wanted to be sure, what of course was only coincidentally connected to beating the mages who cursed her to unconsciousness. A drunken mage could be more dangerous than a sober one, Jaheira knew that from drastic personal experiences. The ranger wondered what the high class wizards were doing in such a seedy tavern, but he suspected that mercenaries such as them were somewhat uncertain with their incomes and thus preferred to stay in place they could afford despite the Tymora's momentary frown.

He had no qualms about throwing the unconscious men in to one of the empty storerooms by the docks, taking all gold they had in their possessions. They were mages cursing people, it was all he needed to know, and Jaheira's almost predatory smile told him that she thinks about it as of some sort of justice, that the money they received for cursing her would end up in their pockets. Their next target, pirate Barl, finished up in the same storeroom two hours later, after being extensively questioned about Isaea Roenall's contacts with slavers, giving them another lead. The druidess corrected the grip on her quarterstaff, strange viciousness appearing for a moment in her eyes. She seemed to have a very 'strong' opinion about slave-traders.

Valygar unsheathed his katana. It was going to be a long night.

***

They ended up killing Ployer anyway. Xan silently hoped they would be able to persuade the man into surrendering to the authorities, but after the first affront towards their druidic friend left the former slaver's mouth Minsc flew into berserker's rage and all the enchanter could do was avoiding the chopped off limbs.

He was content to be over with it anyway, despite the bloody ending, free to come back to the Copper Coronet, with their objective – a lock of Jaheira's hair, sparkling with magic under detecting spell, safe in his pack. He made his way through the dark slums, reaching the inn the easiest way he could find in the maze of poor's dwellings. Xan almost run up the stairs to the room where they left Daria, but stopped momentarily by the door. Should he knock? She was most likely asleep, so he decided he shouldn't. He quietly moved the doorknob, opening the door slowly and quietly.

Daria was there, but she wasn't asleep, her slim arms circled around Anomen's neck and head, the priest holding her as well, so close that Xan wondered if he hadn't broken her ribs yet. His whole body was shaking strangely, but only when he produced a trembling sob, the enchanter realized that the arrogant squire was crying. Daria raised her eyes and saw the elf standing motionless by the doorframe. Never stopping stroking the crying man's hair she pressed a finger of her free hand to her lips, voicelessly asking for silence. The priest sobbed again and her dark violet gaze full of compassion rested on him again.

Xan closed the door as quietly as he could and moved few steps back from the door. He looked at his trembling hands as if they betrayed him. 'It was normal!' he tried to shout in his head. Something strange was happening to him, when it shouldn't. He didn't see anything shocking or wrong. He swiped from his face what couldn't be tears gathering in his eyes, nor sweat on his brow. He didn't know what that moist was. 'She was comforting a friend! She would do it for Imoen and Jaheira, for Minsc!' The enchanter suddenly felt bad, not a localized pain, but a general unpleasant feeling spread around his body. He didn't know what caused it, he didn't want to know what caused it. He bumped into Minsc, who stayed behind as the enchanter went to check for their leader.

"They're busy" Xan said. 'They're busy' his own voice repeated in his head. At the glade, divining, she was with him, he held her when she was trying to find out who murdered his sister and now they were busy! The enchanter shut the door behind him in the other room they rented.

He was the one to hold her during the divinations, keeping some part of her in the present, he, not Anomen. And he was much better at it, since he knew exactly what to do, after all the times, different situations, dangers more thrilling with every step they made towards the discovery of the cause of the iron crisis. He was always by her side, as a friend of course, and a teacher at times, Anomen being almost a newcomer, a recruit. Was he really that dispensable to be replaced with someone like that? And… she always comforted him, no one else, Xan admitted to himself with some measure of shame. Was it that strange that she was there for Anomen when he really needed it?

He remembered the dreamy looks the diviner was receiving from Ajantis not so long time ago, the way he was keeping to her side, but the enchanter wasn't very surprised when the overzealous squire was turned down. He wondered by then, if she would ever find a person to share her life with, so divided between the elven and human word as she was. He wished, knowing it was hopeless and that she would most likely die in another ambush set by assassins, creeping on her all over the Sword Coast, that she would find someone she could share her feelings with and leave this doomed mission to lead a happier, simpler life. He had a partial answer of his pleas now and he should be happy. He wasn't.

And to think he called the previous situation hopeless. How could he name their current mission then?

'But why Anomen?' he directed the question to no one particular. He was just another obsessive knight, aiming to get himself killed facing enemies far exceeding him in numbers and resources. Xan treated him only slightly better than Ajantis, since he didn't try to smite everything on his way yet, but other than that he could hardly tell a difference between the two men. It made no sense since Daria rejected Ajantis. Did she really change that much?

'No, stop. Stop such thinking and consider for a moment before you do something foolish again.' An inner voice decided to be helpful this time. 'She was only holding him and he most likely needed it after losing such a close relative. She held you many times and you don't think she loves _you_, do you?' Xan closed his eyes and slowly swallowed. 'She loves me as her friend and I love her… as my friend' he said solemnly. But then he recalled how he treated her for the previous few days, avoiding and pushing her away for something that wasn't exactly her fault. Even after they cleared the situation up, he held distance between them through the two days it took them to get back to the city. He wanted to show himself that he didn't… that nothing changed in how he felt about her, but he ended up doing the exact opposite. And he ignored her feelings completely, too absorbed by his inner turmoil. She needed someone by her side to help her heal, guard her against her nightmares and keep the visions at bay, as independent as she pretended to be, as strong as she was. Someone, anyone, even Anomen.

It was her role to make him smile before, to take care that he's not sulking in the corner of the inn again, or moping under a tree away from the camp. Now it was her who needed care and lo… friendship. And Xan doubted he was the right person to comfort her, though he decided to try his best. Anomen was much better to do it, as much as he needed help himself. And if there was to be something more between them… it wasn't really his business, was it? All he could do was to try being more caring and considerate about her feelings in the future. He promised himself to never talk about the priest with Daria. It was her probl… friend, and he shouldn't interfere.

The door opened letting candle light from the corridor inside the gloomy room. A heavy cough announced Jaheira's entrance.

"Minsc told me you have something belonging to me…" the druidess stopped for another coughing fit. "…the cursed item? And for the love of nature, what are you doing sitting alone in a corner of a dark room?!"


	20. The Day of a Rat

„**The Day of the Rat"**

The diviner slept for the most of the next day, only brushing with consciousness for short moments, hearing her friends bustling around her room and checking for her state from time to time. She half-consciously covered her face under a pillow once the illusion faded from her face, the stained material matching the scarred cheek. By the evening she still held to the remnants of her sleep, hesitant to open her eyes and face the reality again. She was all too aware of the fact that a safe shelter of a bed in an inn once on a while was all she could ever count on in life, without a house or family.

She felt wrong about lying to Anomen about his sister's murder, guilt entwined in her half-conscious thoughts. He was supposed to be a paragon of justice and law, a member of an order of knights, and she lied to let him achieve that. She was lying and covering so many things that she could fill a diary with other people's secrets instead of her own. She never kept one because of that. And the priest's sister… Daria only caught a glimpse of her in her vision, a very bloody glimpse, but she heard few stories about her from her brother. The diviner told him that she saw the killer, but didn't recognize the man and without the name she couldn't even try locating him. It was a poor lie, leaving Moira's death without revenge, but she hoped the girl would forgive her, happy in the place she went to, seeing her brother fulfilling his dream. Anomen would find out what happened sooner or later and she wasn't that naïve to count on his forgiveness, but after the initial rage would wear off he wouldn't do anything irrational. She didn't feel comfortable with such a responsibility over her shoulders and something made her think that being able to choose Anomen's future for him was some sort of a debt she would have to repay.

A shuffle under her bed announced that yet another rat found its way to her room in a never-ending search for debris. She threw an uncaring glance at the floor, noticing a big grey rodent, standing on its back legs, sniffing in the air. It appeared to be somewhat familiar to her, despite being completely devoid of any distinction marks, just as any other rat. A gray tangled and flea-infested fur, a wormlike tail twitching on the floor and black shiny eyes certainly weren't anything rare among the rat population in Athkatla. It seemed old as much as the sun elf could tell. Feeling something her body remembered and her head couldn't recall she gathered some bits of bread from the table and moved her opened palm forward without getting up from the bed or making any sudden movements. The dirty creature carefully paced, at first in place, but then carefully forward. Daria was imagining that all she would end up with would be a bitten finger, or some disease knowing her luck, but when the rat cautiously touched the tip of her gloved finger with its wet nose a sharp vision came into her mind.

The cold metal of her cage was pressing the wounds on her back, making her feel as if she was being bathed in boiling water. The cage was too small for her to stand up, but it hardly mattered since with her both knees broken she could only dream about walking. She didn't though. She didn't dream or reverie in this horrible damp place, pain keeping her awake, chasing away her memories and thoughts. She was fresh after another session of tortures, blood pouring from the opened injuries, mixing with sweat and tears. _He_ would come and heal some of them, keeping her alive as always, but leaving smaller wounds to torment her before another session. She only remembered she deserved it and it was all that mattered now. If she did something to deserve such a horrible pain, then she really should suffer and if she suffered, it meant she did something to deserve it. Her tangled mind thought about it as only logical conclusion.

A rat made its way through the bars of her cage, interested in a pool of crimson liquid gathering on the metal floor. There were many rats in the dungeon, but they didn't give her any troubles, sating their hunger on the dead and leaving the problematic living to their misery. One of the rats visited quite often however. At least she thought it was the same rat.

"You came back, my friend" she croaked with what was left of her voice after hours of screaming. "You have been visiting me quite often lately. I should warn you. My friends don't end up well" she sobbed quietly not to chase the rat away. Tears were leaving two lines on her face, removing the dirt.

The rat lifted its eyes from the ground, black shiny spots looking at her with curiosity.

"You like me so very much, so maybe you would be my familiar? I heard all mages have familiars, it was in a book… someone read it to me…" She moved what was left of her hands to press it to her aching forehead. For a moment she almost saw a vision of a smiling gray-haired man with a long tidy beard, handling her something green.

"I would name you Gooseberry. How about that?" she giggled slightly hysteric at the rat sniffing her toe.

"Gooseberry!" she cried in surprise and lifted the animal from the ground, placing it in her bed. He didn't appear to be startled by the sudden recognition. She carefully fed it with all the bits of bread she could find and took a careful look at her pet. It was slightly skinnier than she remembered, and a true heaven for fleas. She should ask Jaheira to free him of this problem before he shares it with the others. Besides that he looked like a piece of old stinky carpet on four legs, just as she remembered.

How did he find her? He had to make quite a journey, not only for a rat, from the sewers, where the hidden dungeon was, to the surface and Copper Coronet. She heard that mages and familiars have some sort of telepathic connection allowing them to communicate on long distances, but since her summoning skills were hardly worth mentioning in anything but a joke, she never thought about having a familiar herself and didn't have much knowledge about the subject. She read about fairy dragons and imps, following their masters' every wish, but Gooseberry was just a simple sewer rat. He couldn't read her mind.

Could he? She felt a strange tingle, something not yet in her mind, but certainly somewhere behind her eyes. A suggestion of more bread? She let the rat down on the ground to find some more food for himself. The moment her newfound friend disappeared under her bed a careful knocking sounded by the door.

"Come in!" she asked.

Xan entered with heavy load of various meals, mostly vegetable, creating a small pyramid in his arms, his morose expression barely visible through the jars he held. He didn't have a free hand and had to maneuver the doors with his foot. Daria tried to get up, but the sudden rising caused black specks appearing before her eyes. She received a worried glance from the enchanter as she sat back on her bed, but he couldn't do much, loaded as he was. He began to free himself from the burden, placing the plates and the jars on the table.

"I heard you finally woke up. It is all from Jaheira, she said you have been mumbling something about vitamins in your sleep and she made Bernard prepare something better than white goo. She says you have to eat it all." Daria wondered what made the enchanter suddenly so obedient towards the druid, as he listed Jaheira's commands. But thinking could be left for later and her stomach was empty right now.

She was making her way though one helping after another, dropping some food seemingly accidentally on the ground for Gooseberry, lurking in the shadows. There was almost more food than her stomach could digest, but she couldn't stop herself from eating. Some deep instincts told her that if there was food she should place it where nobody would be able to take it away from her. After the fourth meal she slowed down enough to notice Xan was wearing a new set of mage's robes in his favorite purple. It was a good idea to make provisions and buy new equipment while she slept and she was a bit ashamed that she didn't thought to mention about it.

"How is Jaheira?" full mouth didn't get in the way for Daria to ask questions.

"She's in the other room, most likely asleep, but she is in nearly perfect condition if you consider her ordering around and yelling just before she went to have her rest." Daria giggled quietly. Given Xan's gloomy demeanor and sour tone she had a strange certainty about who was the target of the druidess' shouts.

"And Nalia?" the diviner stopped eating to ask, but quickly resumed devouring the food.

"We delivered all the incriminating proofs to Isaea Roenall's superior. He told us to come back tomorrow morning and if he is not in Isaea's pocket, which is doubtful knowing the corrupted amnian system, he should release her by then."

"Good." It seemed that everything went according to her plan. She knew from her divinations that the commander was the only person who could oppose the Roenalls. She rewarded herself with another helping of broccolis. Xan watched her with an odd look on his face.

"What do you think familiar tells about its mage?" Daria asked casually after a moment of intense chewing, opening a jar with mashed potatoes.

"It' is not one of those tricky questions of yours, is it?" Xan looked around as if expecting a dragon hidden behind the wardrobe. Surprisingly there was none. "Most mages choose their familiars fitting their status" the enchanter continued, somewhat reassured. "It is common that evil mages choose their familiars from the ranks of abysmal or hellish armies, such as hell hounds or imps. The more rational wizards pick minor elementals, like various mephits, or simple animals. Some chosen ones are rewarded with the company of minor celestial beings or rare magical creatures" he began a talk watching Daria finally giving up the use of the fork and returning to the roots, using her gloved fingers to eat. It was both funny and sad to see her like that and since he felt more inclined to sadness he sighed mournfully.

"And how do you think, what familiar would I get, were I able to summon one?" she resumed eating after finishing the sentence, but kept her eyes up, looking at the enchanter.

He was a bit surprised with the question, but gave it a moment of thought. Something to express her nature, a hidden taint of her father, but also her inner self and elven spirit. Something a laughing girl could have by her side as well as a serious woman. A mysterious and alluring creature, both dark and bright, maybe a sign of precognition and divinations. What could it be? His imagination failed him this time.

A swift movement on the floor made him shift his eyes to the floor, noticing a large gray rat by Daria's foot, eating some of the food she dropped.

"Why do we always end up in such pathetic sordid inns, even with enough money to allow us for a much better sleeping place?" he asked without expecting an answer. "There's an ugly rat by your foot. Is it not enough that you are doomed by your heritage, do you also have to catch some plague from an undoubtedly disease-carrying rodent?"

"…Xan? About the rat…" Daria lowered her hand to the ground and let Gooseberry climb her robes to her lap, where she fed him with some mashed potatoes. "…it's my familiar". Xan's jaw dropped.

The diviner carefully caressed her pet, scratching it behind an ear, causing few fleas to flee in panic.

"His name is Gooseberry" she took the rat in her hands and pointed it at the enchanter in a very Minsc-like fashion. Xan immediately jumped back from his seat, throwing a look of horror at a ragged creature, but it was already too late to stop a series of sneezes, a reaction at the furry rodent.

"Sorry, I forgot about your allergy" Daria hastily put Gooseberry back on the ground. Xan couldn't help but notice that the rat left a sheer amount of his fur on the diviner's lap. He cautiously sat back on the chair, watching the dirty creature disappearing under her bed.

"Where did you get such a…" Xan found himself lacking the words to describe his friend's new pet, or rather its positive values. "…familiar" he ended awkwardly.

"It was… back in the dungeon" Daria averted her gaze to the ground, unpleasant memories catching up with her once again. Xan reminded himself the promise of trying to be more considerate, but Seldarine knew it wasn't easy to be comforting with his attitude. He covered her hand with his carefully, ready to withdraw at the first sign of discomfort from her. He remembered she did the same for him, long time ago in Nashkel inn, at the first night of his freedom after long time underground, in Mulahey's lair. She approached his secluded corner of the common room and smiled broadly at him, like she always smiled, till now. And then she covered his hand with hers, ungloved by then, pointed him a moon on the night sky, calm glow shining through the window and asked if he was a moon elf. He thought it was incredibly childish back then, human even, unaware that she was ignorant of so many more details of her elven heritage.

The simple gesture back then was the beginning of something between them, something that with time fastened into friendship. He never imagined it could be that difficult to place a hand on someone else's.

Daria raised her eyes at him. And smiled. He involuntarily squeezed her hand feeling the corners of his mouth rising.

I took him a moment too long to realize he's staring at her with an adoring expression like a fool. He cleared his throat to cover the blush and produced a package from one of the pockets of his new robe, placing it in front of the diviner.

"Jaheira sent everybody to do some shopping for the reward we received from the mayor of Imnesvale. I saw these and thought you may find a use for them."

She threw a curious glance at the package and unwrapped the material, exposing a full set of runes for dividing, mystic symbols carved on small stones, not very fancy set, but well made and suitable for an adventurer.

"Oroth uum whopei…" she began to read a scroll from the package. The runes began to glow with faint emerald green light.

"Thank you!" she said with her eyes widening from awe. She studied each glowing stone separately, removing her gloves to move her fingers along the inscriptions. He noticed the fingers weren't bruised anymore, but still bent and slightly crooked. It was only too cruel to know that her hands would never be smooth and slender again. He shook away painful feeling. She didn't need him to remind her that.

"I hope it will stop your suicidal tendencies to driving yourself to the state of unconsciousness every time someone gets in trouble, at least for few days" he meant to sound sarcastic, but some more or less happy tone treacherously made its way to his voice somehow. He was… pleased to have noticed the set of runes on one of the shelves of Adventurer's Mart. It was strangely fortunate that he still had enough money to buy them.

He suddenly sneezed again and looked down to see Daria's fur-losing familiar watching him from the level of his feet, little pink fore-paws placed on his shoe.

"I better go now" he said, slightly bothered, removing his foot from under the rat carefully and circling the rodent. He expected an amused smile from Daria, but she was strangely serious. 'Why did she name a rat Gooseberry?' he wondered for a moment, but closed the door, leaving her to get known with the spells connected with divining runes.

***

"And this will…?"

"Yes."

"All of them…?"

"Yes."

"Completely…?"

"It should, yes. Don't make me say it again."

Daria stared at a small jar handed her by Jaheira. If what the druidess said was true, it contained a salve which could remove all her scars without a trace, leaving plain skin without any marks.

"But remember, it will only work on the surface scars, not the damaged muscles underneath, so don't exert yourself" the druidess reminded. She was still cross at her ward, but she wasn't brewing this balm for so long just to let it waste away because of an argument.

Daria didn't avert her gaze from the jar. 'With a whole jar all scars would be gone in no more than five days, maybe a week. I could have a smooth face again, I could take off the cloak… hells, I could wear a dress with low neckline! Why only neckline, I could…' her mind was whirling with new ideas. And then a more rational thought came. 'The moment the last scar disappears I'm off to get myself the scantiest revealing dress I can find.' Only slightly more rational thought. Or at least a bit less chaotic.

The balm was green and stinky, smelling only slightly better than Gooseberry. Jaheira said she made it herself from the herbs of the forest, buying the more rare ingredients in what was left of the Promenade, mixing them with her druidic magic. The diviner was almost overjoyed feeling stinging when Jaheira began to rub the balm in her skin. It made her believe even more that it would work. Her delight lessened somewhat, when she heard she has to stay motionless until the layer on her skin hardens, for at least an hour. She already spent the whole day sleeping.

The druidess left the room, after covering her ward tightly with a blanket, which got stuck to her balm-covered skin at once, and taking Gooseberry's fleas with her, to find them a new home. Daria's fed, de-fleaed, washed and brushed familiar curled into a ball by her head, taking a deserved rest from all the hustle and bustle around him. His new smell was the one of soap and jasmine, a scent of his newly found mistress, and he was missing half of his fur, lost in the process of being washed, bald spots visible on his body. In the other hand he was now unquestionably the cleanest rat of Athkatla.

The pair made good use of their free time probing the link between them. Daria couldn't guess how exactly it was assembled. It couldn't be as simple as saying 'you're my familiar from now on', could it? She slowly learned how to send small signals to her new pet, giving him small tasks, and received questions about bread and soap in return. She easily sensed when Gooseberry got bored with dozing on the bed and decided to let him have a walk in the inn. She was immobilized in her shell made of hardened layer of a green balm and had to stay in her bed until it crumbled, but she wouldn't fit the rat holes anyway. She wished she could though.

She gasped in surprise when she realized she's looking at the room from her familiar's perspective. As always, she discovered something new completely by accident, but the finding was quite entertaining, at least as long as she would be able to come back to her own head afterward. An agitation coming from Gooseberry showed he was just as surprised, but they quickly got used to sharing one pair of eyes. Instinctively Daria knew she could control her pet's movements, but she chose to let him lead.

It was out of the ordinary to see the word from a perspective of a rat, she realized when Gooseberry got from the bed to the ground. The furniture was gigantic and she could notice other rats lurking by the wardrobe. Her familiar directed his pink paws to the small gap leading to another room. The wooden walls of the inn were thick, but generations of mice and rats inhibiting a labyrinth of holes and fissures in Copper Coronet kept themselves constantly busy producing more and more corridors and passages in the wood. Most of them still bore the marks of hungry teeth.

The next room was empty, save for an elven enchanter, circling around as if trying to set a path in the planks on the floor. The rat's ears distinguished the words he was murmuring and the elven mind of his mistress recognized them as one of her friend's favorite lines.

"It's hopeless. It's so unbelievably hopeless that it's not even worth thinking about. It's just too hopeless…"

Gooseberry was referring to Xan as 'the one like his mistress', rats not knowing a lot about names. Daria wondered if it was caused by the fact they were both wizards, or elves, but she didn't question her familiar's choice of nicknames. She could sense her pet shares her sympathy towards the enchanter since the time he brought food to their room. The reasons were different, but the good will sincere.

Xan finally stopped by the wall familiar just crossed, falling silent, and raised his hand to touch the wood hesitantly, as if trying to make out what was on its other side. There was an intense expression on his face, but Gooseberry couldn't guess what it showed, since he knew little of humanoids' facial expressions, though he could feel his mistress react, something in her mind changing. The rat hasn't felt anything comparable in his short lifespan, his wizardess' emotions being a complete new experience. All he knew was that the living was friendly. It was strange since he usually rated all he saw as rats, living and debris, and living were mostly to be shunned as they held brooms and knives, the bane of the ratkind. The one like his mistress certainly wasn't a rat however, but Gooseberry squeaked a greeting nonetheless.

Only his mistress' presence in his mind stopped him from running away when the living jumped away from the wall as if burned, rapidly looking around for the source of the sound.

"Oh. Raspberry" Xan calmed seeing the rat on the floor. He didn't have any problems with recognizing the familiar, since no other rat in Copper Coronet was that clean and smelled with jasmine. For a moment he was terrified that Minsc came into the room, catching him on… what exactly he didn't know. But he knew he shouldn't be thinking what he was thinking.

"It's _Goose_berry, Xan" the enchanter almost fainted hearing Daria's voice coming from the rat's mouth. Both familiar and his mage were just as surprised. The link was more efficient then they thought.

"D-Daria?" he asked, praying it was only his imagination, but no. He knew only too well that wizards could share their minds with their familiars. The door opening suddenly caused him to almost have a heart attack the second time. When he turned his head again, there was only a bit of fur in the place where the rat stood only second ago. He faced Minsc standing by the door.

The third and the last room rented by the party was occupied by Jaheira, who made it a makeshift base of operations. Valygar was the current object of interrogation she called a chat for short. Gooseberry chose a secluded corner by a bed for himself, allowing his mistress to listen to the conversation. Moments after he made himself comfortable two more men entered. Daria couldn't see who it was from under the bed, but rats didn't need their eyes to recognize. 'The one like mistress and the one who carries a rat' he signaled. Daria instantly warned him against calling Boo a rat in close proximity of Minsc, but thanked for the information. If only she could use all her senses as efficiently… She was too used to relying on sight, enhanced or not.

"Tolgieras, the Cowled Wizard that sent us to find you, gave us two weeks to complete the task. We still have about three days before he sends someone else on your tracks. I know every day we linger we raises the risk of being found, but I don't think Daria is in state to leave her bed." Jaheira had two ways of conversation. One was interrogation, the other – informing. None allowed the other side to have its own opinion.

"I don't think out honorable leader will agree to be the reason of delay, my dear friend" Yoshimo as always made the title sound like a mockery, but no one cared about it anymore, used to the bounty hunter's strange manner.

"That's why you will tell her I haven't recovered fully from the curse yet." Gooseberry's fur bristled at the feeling of anger from the link he shared with Daria, a reaction to Jaheira's calm words.

"You know she may be listening to us even now?" Daria could imagine Xan glancing nervously around the corners as he said that. She sensed Gooseberry's curiosity. Rats didn't have the benefit of imagination, it seemed, and he couldn't guess how his mistress knew what the elf was doing.

"Stop being paranoid, Xan. Even she isn't that reckless to try divinations now." That wasn't exactly praise from Jaheira's mouth. Daria mentally asked her familiar to come out from the shadow and show himself to the enchanter. He noticed the rat at once and gulped, sensing the coming storm.

"She's not going to listen to any reason, as always, so it will be your job to keep her resting… what are you looking at?"

"I admire your concern Jaheira" a deaf silence fell over the room at the sound of Daria's voice. Everybody turned to look at Gooseberry. "And I understand your worries. I only done what I thought was the best and most efficient in getting us to Imoen. However, I trust you, as my healer and my friend, and appreciate that you want me to be rested by the time we begin the fight. We shall stay in the inn if that is your wish" Daria tried the same psychological trick Jaheira used so often, making her listener feeling guilty for thinking, breathing, existing and all other sins of the men-, elf- and half-elf-kind. She let the moment of silence prolong.

"If I'm not needed anymore I shall attend to my rest" she overdid a little with the last sentence, but the effect wasn't ruined. She asked Gooseberry to turn around in a classy manner, as much as he understood what it meant, and return to their room. The rat broke into run as soon as he was out of sight of the gathering.


	21. Enter the Ragged Group of Adventurers

„**Enter the Ragged Group of Adventurers"**

A sound of a muffled sneeze woke her up from her slumber, but on instinct she kept her eyes shut, probing the surroundings with a quick divination. Daria was a diviner, and a good one at that – she didn't need her eyes open to see, though the glow from under her eyelids making her look as if she was crying pure silver could betray she was awake. She relaxed immediately, realizing she's safe in an inn room. Xan was the only person inside and he didn't seem to notice her quick probing, muffling another sneeze. Gooseberry must have been somewhere near as well.

She did all she promised to Jaheira, mostly to annoy the druidess and show her she could take care of herself. As an elf she rarely needed more than four hours of reverie, six after using her precognition, but now she decided to break the record, sleeping until Jaheira comes and tells her that's enough. It ended with sleeping like a dead through almost two days in a slumber not even a horde of dragons storming the city could end, not to mention the druidess. She never realized she had that much tiredness stacked somewhere in her body. Hells, she didn't even think it was possible for an elf to sleep for that long. But her inner clock couldn't be wrong. Either she suffered from amnesia, which was unlikely, or she truly took the longest nap of her life. It was strange that she didn't feel rested. As soon as the sleepiness subdued it was replaced with edginess and agitation. She wasted so much time!

The enchanter was sitting on a chair by her bed, squeezing her hand. Her gloves were removed, she realized instantly, since she hardly ever took them off, preferring to sleep in them. She a bit ashamed for making him that worried about her. Maybe she really was immature to tease Jaheira like that, without considering what all others felt? He didn't realize she was awake and she could take advantage of the situation cuddling to his arm, pretending to be dreaming, but she wasn't in a mood. Instead she just opened her eyes and looked at him.

It was there, the same intense worried expression she saw through Gooseberry's eyes, making her heart beat faster. Their eyes met and she felt something passing through his gaze, aiming for her heart instead of mind. He lowered his head slowly and for a second she believed he was going to kiss her. Her lips parted slightly on their own accord when her pulse became faster and faster, until he blinked unexpectedly several times, drawing back. He was only feeling drowsy… She felt frustration rising inside her, the same kind that made otherwise completely reasonable men yelling "Why?!" in the middle of a busy street, crying like a child. She suppressed the feeling.

"Good morning. How long did I sleep?" Daria asked to fill the awkward silence. Since her divining skills improved she had no problems with assessing the date or time. She did it on instinct, without having to resort to incantations. It was as natural as seeing the light and darkness.

"A night, a day and then another night" Xan answered. His nose was all red, probably because of the allergy. 'What made him sit here like that if he was sneezing constantly?' she couldn't help but wonder. Even friendship should have some limits set by common sense. She silently passed a message to Gooseberry, that she's feeling fine and that they need some time alone. Xan's hand began to gently stroke hers, but he didn't seem to realize what he was doing. "I… We were afraid you will never wake up" he seemed to try to jest, but nothing in his voice indicated his words to be humorous.

"What about Nalia?" the diviner asked, rubbing her temples with the other hand. It felt really strange to be asleep for that long. She tried to ignore the feeling of shame for upsetting Xan yet again. And she already began to hope they could put the unfortunate nightmare and its long list of consequences behind them.

"She's been freed. She is checking to see if you woke up every hour, even Jaheira started to worry. And Anomen hasn't left your side for the most of the night" Xan forced out the last sentence.

"I'm sorry" Daria sighed deeply. "It's just… the more I struggle, the worse it becomes. I should become stronger to find Imoen, but there are just more problems, traps and difficulties. For a moment I wished we could just k-kill Valygar and…" eyen her voice betrayed her now, along with her thoughts. "One could think that things become easier when you gain experience, but everything was simpler when I didn't understand much, living with idealistic fantasies, traveling through the Sword Coast in search of 'adventure'".

"And it will only become worse. The longer you live, the more it gets to you how pointless it is. Should there be anything to ease our existence… but there is nothing apart from death that awaits us in the end. But… I wish it could be different." Xan was the one to listen to all worries and made them look even worse. But somehow it was reassuring that by his side she could be simply sad knowing there was nothing inappropriate in it.

"Xan, there's something I want to tell you" the sentence escaped her lips before she could stop it. She froze when he looked at her, not with curiosity, but with… with this willingness to listen that distinguished true friends from colleagues. And now she had to say something, but definitely not what she meant in the first place. A slight trace of panic in her mind didn't help creativity.

"Sometimes I think it all would be better if I just gave up" she simply voiced her deepest worry, most hidden concern. She'd rather let him look at her with pity than make him feel this uncomfortable guilt of knowing that he couldn't return her feelings. It wasn't a pleasant emotion, as she experienced before.

"Don't say so, don't even think about it!" he uttered with genuine fear.

She knew he would be worried and it would frighten him a bit, though it wasn't her intention. Though to hear that someone cares about how she feels was like feeling a warm blanket around her arms, sitting by a warm fire after a escaping from a snowstorm.

"It was my fault from the beginning that Imoen was caught and it's my fault she was captured along with Irenicus" she continued with bitter taste in her mouth. "I was the target of his experiments and now Immy is a bait to provoke me to find him. Because of me, Khalid and Dynaheir were killed, Minsc and Jaheira suffering and I can't help but fear that it will only become worse. Because of my heritage death will always follow my trail. I will never have any respite from being hunted, it's a part of who I am, but dragging the ones I care about down with me…" she stopped. She just did what she tried to avoid from the beginning – burdening her friend with her problems. Daria remembered how she explained to Jaheira countless times how making others stuck with worries that aren't even their own, would not improve her mood in any detectable way and declined to share what bothers her. But in the end the druidess was right. As always.

"We will die sooner or later, no matter if by Irenicus' hand, in an ambush in a blind alley or by a food poisoning." He watched her with compassion. She had to avert her eyes under this gaze. "You cannot help it. And for what it's worth, dying by your side is preferable to…"

"…returning to Evereska and taking some rest, having some peace at last in it's beautiful gardens and temples, finding harmony and maybe love in you homeland?" Daria finished with empty sarcasm.

"A beautiful dream, but more likely is that I'd be sent for another mission, even more dangerous than eliminating a coven of vampires, inevitably ending with my death. But even if I… Your friendship stands above any delusions of safety."

"But don't you want to have some rest at last, find you place by someone's side, start a family, have children maybe?" she wanted to know, but she knew she wouldn't receive her answer.

"A Moonblade wielder can't simply decide to retire. I'm doomed to my duty as long as I live." He said the same thing she heard many months before, when he told her about the Moonblade the first time, with exactly same deep sadness in his voice.

"But if you could travel with the one you love, could you find some happiness?" she had to ask.

"I already travel with you." Daria couldn't stop a stare of disbelief when he said that. Surely he couldn't mean… but there was no other interpretation… but she knew he didn't… but he just said…

"I meant that the team's company is a welcomed respite from endless lone traveling, that is." Xan corrected himself hastily. "We are all doomed to perish, but…" he stopped seeing disappointment replacing the disbelief on the diviner's face.

"I care of what will happen to you. You're my friend and I don't want to see you waste away." Daria squeezed the elf's hand, still entwined with hers. He looked at their joined hands astounded. He didn't remember when they linked.

"I'm off to get some breakfast. Are you coming with me?" the diviner asked a bit sulkily, gathering herself from bed with difficulty. She began to put on her gloves and cloak.

Xan nodded absentmindedly, looking at his now empty hand.

***

An elven diviner in a dark robes, clad tightly in a dark cloak despite the blazing sun with face hidden under an equally dark hood stood in front of the gigantic gray orb, which looked as if been placed there by an insane architect, whose motto couldn't be different that „If there's no place we should make one by cutting out this, and these, and..." The denizens of slums didn't seem to be bothered by the sinister plane-traveling device anymore, bustling around it like bees in a hive. The metaphor was quite accurate with all the buzzing and haste, but the most important part was lacking. The effect of the busy slums' work couldn't be compared to honey in any possible way.

All people from beggars to lost guards did keep their distance from the construction, as well as from the wizardess, who seemed to radiate with irritation. It was commonly know by now that the Sphere disintegrated everybody who dared to touch it. From what was known about the Cowled Wizards who used to circle around it, they could do that and much more. And the wizardess didn't seem to be in a kindhearted mood.

It was more than mere irritation in the wizardess behavior - it was anger, centered on one person, the person missing from the group of adventurers hurrying to join their leader by the Sphere. Daria clenched her teeth when she thought about Nalia.

They rescued the noblewoman from Isaea's prison, given her freedom and gods knew it wasn't easy to get all the evidence and demonstrate them to the authorities, not to mention that the diviner had to stay in bed longer than ever afterwards, because of the exhaustion. And what they got in return? A 'thank you' and a 'farewell'. Or rather 'get lost, I don't need you anymore'.

Of course Nalia did give them a lengthy explanation of how she was free from the engagement, now after her betrothed was found guilty of supporting slave-traders and smugglers, her Keep no longer under 'care' of Roenalls' family. Naturally she wasn't that keen on adventuring and helping the poor and needy anymore, now that she had a home for herself and a steady income at her disposal. Endangering her precious life wasn't worth rescuing a distant village not even on her father's lands, it seemed. The fact that she was leaving her companions in the eve of a dangerous escapade they could use her help with didn't seem to matter either.

Daria listened to all Nalia's explanations with an understanding smile and respectful nods, wishing the noble born girl luck in returning the keep back to its previous glory. Nalia got her share of party funds for a good start and they parted. A polite handshake, official words of invitation to the Keep once it would be restored and weaving hands by the city gates were as they should be pictured in a book of stories for children. But as soon as the noblewoman disappeared from sight Daria covered her face with a hood hiding a furious frown and began to march in the direction of the slums.

Anger was adding speed to her marching and soon even Jaheira was left behind in the crowd of people. The sun elf was so absorbed by her sulking that she only noticed that her friends were left behind once she stepped through the hazy border of the slums. She waited few moments, but the impatience kept her from standing in place and she decided to wait for the rest of the party by the Sphere.

'How childish Nalia was to leave us like that?' only her thoughts kept her company while Gooseberry slept in her pack. 'Even Imoen, the synonym of mischief and waywardness never left the party side for more than a minute she needed to steal something. Nalia could at least help us with the Sphere in return. We would need as much magic as we can gather inside there.' She stopped herself from kicking the hard stone of Lavoc's construction just on time.

'But it isn't about the magic or the Keep, is it?' the cynical part of her mind, the part she was beginning to hate, chimed in. No, it wasn't, she knew it. Or rather it was – about the Keep, about a home. It was envy. Bitter, deep and wholehearted envy. There was only one thing she wanted more than being able to wake up in her room in Candlekeep, or some other room, or compartment, or hut, anything, as long as she could call it her own, and it wasn't possible either. With madmen like Irenicus at her heels, her mysterious brothers and sisters, lurking somewhere around Faerun and likely beyond, finding a permanent place to live was like sending an invitation to assassins. And Nalia could have it, she could say that she has enough of adventuring for now and go back home. She did. And Daria hated her for it.

"What took you so long?!" the sun elf greeted her friends courteously.

"Don't snap at us child." Jaheira, a dedicated enemy of snapping, said with unruffled tone.

"Fine!" Daria snapped. "Valygar, could you please open this…" she took a deep breath. "…this Sphere" she ended with a bit calmer voice.

The dark ranger didn't say a word, stepping up to the place where the construction was cutting into the paved and filthy ground of slums. He didn't hesitate a moment with raising his hand to touch the smooth and oddly clean surface, but Daria could bet any money that he wasn't all that composed inside. Come to think of it, it was strange that the shell on the orb wasn't stained even a little bit. Poor pigeons must have had a close contact with a disintegration spell.

Nothing happened through few tensed moments, which was both a good and a bad sign - a good one because Valygar was still alive and in one piece instead of a pile of disintegrated dust, and bad, because there was no other plan for getting inside.

"The entrance is somewhere higher, probably in the middle of Sphere's height" Valygar stated. Was there a slight tremble in his voice? No one asked how the ranger knew what to do. The answer couldn't be any other than 'magic'.

"We could get higher climbing the surrounding buildings, my friend." Yoshimo pointed the buildings cut by the Sphere which seemed to be teleported into a nice group of the steadiest constructions of the Slums. Not so steady anymore.

Daria threw a doubtful look at the slashed in half structures. Some less stable were already ruined, creating piles of debris by the orb.

"Scouting ahead for a safe path would be a good idea. I'll go and check…" the diviner began.

"Daria, you shouldn't…" Jaheira began a rant.

"Fine! Yoshimo, you alone won't find the entrance, so take Valygar with you." The bounty hunter made an offended face. "It's magically sealed, my friend." She added a sweet smile.

It was either her imagination or the building really bent slightly after the two men entered. She began to tap her foot unnervingly.

"At least let me…" the diviner started.

"No." And Jaheira ended.

Daria resumed tapping.

"We found an opened way in. It's on a second storage of the building. The path looks stable enough." By the time Yoshimo and Valygar emerged Daria was almost ready to ignore Jaheira and check what was taking them whole long five minutes. They were only to enter a complex of crumbling buildings, after all.

The doorway inside the mage's tower Lavoc's style was spectacular, in its own specific way. On the outside it was a plain oval-shaped fissure in the bare stone, without any ornaments or even signs of direction. But the bright sunlight was extending only for few steps into the corridor and then seemed to lose its courage. The rest of the passage was covered in thick darkness neither sunlight nor infravision could penetrate, creating a nice sinister atmosphere every necromancer could be proud of.

"It will not end well" a mournful voice stated with usual doomed certainty.

"What are you waiting for? Get in!" a chipper loud shout came from Minsc's sword sheath.

"What was that?!" Daria considered adding '…the hell', but some strange foreboding stopped her.

"Minsc found a new bigger sword!" the berserker proclaimed happily.

"I want to kill things!" the talking sword added with equal joy. The rest of the team threw a doubtful look at their friend's new weapon.

"Pleased to make an acquaintance. We're going in." Daria said brusquely and marched into the darkness without looking back. Surely the simple darkness couldn't be hiding anything worse than what her subconscious associated with 'the hell'.


	22. Roaming the Spheres

„**Roaming the Spheres"**

„You see? These skirmishes are nothing that would pose a problem for experienced and careful group of adventurers" Jaheira began a rant. "Your divinations should be spared only for special occasions. There's no need to use them in every battle."

The surroundings were calm, the only inhabitants of round chambers behind a dark tunnel leading inside the giant construction were already dead. A small swarm of mephits wasn't much more than a minor annoyance and a single half-crumbled clay golem fell under the blows of Jaheira's new enchanted quarterstaff quickly enough, but Daria was far from agreeing with her guardian's sentiments. She felt something was going to happen, she just knew it. Every nerve of her body was screaming at her to find out what was it, but she obeyed the druidess. It was terrifying what Daria was able to endure, just to be able to say 'I told you so'.

It was too quiet for the sun elf's liking. The first few chambers were cleared from anything that would produce any noises and the passage further was sealed by the door possibly opened with the key the golem guarded. There was no reason for any specific sound to be heard, but still… There was nothing unexpected so far, apart from a tall elf with strange golden skin, who they met while entering the first hall. He didn't pay them any heed, departing immediately after seeing that the doors were opened and the party didn't bother him either. It couldn't be Lavoc, due to the difference in race and thus he was most likely one more unfortunate soul imprisoned inside or just a planar traveler. Now it was only them there.

"We will probably need your divinations when we face Lavoc, but before that we can count on our skills to keep us far from any harm" Jaheira's sermon was continuing in a dead silence of the Sphere. "The other rooms shouldn't be any more dangerous than these" she said turning the complex key in a hole in the middle of the seal.

"Planar travel initiated. Sphere defense systems activated. All exits are sealed and can only be directed from control room." A loud dead voice echoed. If someone constructed a talking iron golem it would sound exactly like that.

A sudden tremor caused them to fall on the ground. The Sphere shook, making even Yoshimo lose his balance and fall on the ground, which seemed as if it was about to fall apart any moment, but before it had the chance the balance returned. The floor gave one last quake and it all became still. The party members slowly got to their feet. Daria didn't say a word, but her silence was as precise as a surgeon's blade.

"What happened?" Anomen asked the first, getting his armored reverse from the ground with difficulty.

"I can check, can't I?" the acid in the diviner's voice could eat through the surface of the Sphere's floor should she wish to waste it. She didn't, directing sarcasm precisely to Jaheira. "We're in semi-plane of Abyss" a quick flesh of silver in her pupils looked as a small lightning locked under her eyelids. "The Sphere was programmed to jump back to its previous location at an attempt of intrusion. Repeating the same trick with the key won't work, so our only way out is most likely through the control room, where all the magic of the Sphere is administered, because the way outside is blocked as well. From there we only have to find a way to target Athkatla once more and we're home. Easy."

"Abyss? This is the end. We're doomed…" Xan sighed heavily.

"And Lavoc?" Valygar had the same gloom expression on his face as the time they entered his cabin the first time, but he wasn't even near Xan's level of depression.

"He's in the control room. I'll lead the way. With my divinations. Any objections?"

If scowls counted as objections then Jaheira objected wholeheartedly. Daria decided they didn't count.

***

She wiped smeared remains of a strange aquatic creature from her gloves, wrinkling her nose at a smell of a burned fish. It was close, too close for her liking, and firing a Burning Hands spell from the distance from which she could feel the monster's stinky breath wasn't exactly safe or enjoyable. The effects were even worse. Valygar was being patched up in the corner by both healers after receiving a slash that would sever the arm from his body were it not for his enchanted armor. It was passed in his family for generations, just as his katana, as he told her. It was surprising how talkative he could become and where the conversation would lead after beginning it with a question 'So why exactly do you hate magic that much?' The brooding ranger lost a lot of blood and though the wound was already disappearing under the glow of Jaheira's and Anomen's spells, they'd had to find a safe spot to rest sometime soon.

They were already through a long, cavern-like chamber, inhibited by strange blood-thirsty creatures, surprisingly resembling halflings, a fake forest made of various fungi, including walking on two… let's say feet, people-eating type, a metallic cave with lizard-men and now a sea-smelling round room, with wet spongy floor sinking in on every step. It seemed to be the necromancer's menagerie, but it was surprisingly alive for that. Daria had to admit it was hostile enough, though.

And the traps. There were hundreds of them, just as if every corner was ready to spit acid, lighting or a spike, as if it was some foreign greeting custom. Yoshimo had a hard time noticing and disarming all of them on time, keeping six other people away from the walls, ceiling and unchecked floor. Daria helped a bit flinching every time she had another sudden vision of one of her friends being fried with a sudden burst of electricity, or hit with a blade hidden in one of the walls, though it was rather a subconscious aid. She didn't have to even say a thing, jumping back at another gruesome death or injury she witnessed, for the bounty hunter to start studying the surfaces of the place carefully. At the beginning of Daria's career as a diviner and an adventurer she had a hard time with visions such as these, but by now she got used to them enough not to panic about every trap or burst into tears without any apparent reason. Explaining her mind that it's all not real, at least yet, or never, if she had her say in it, helped a bit.

She didn't have much use of her precognition, otherwise than that. There were no split ways and if there were any secret corridors, then even the famous Yoshimo wasn't able to detect them. One room, one way in, one way out – a path was leading in a spiral from the borders to the middle of the construction, from what the elf was able to determine. The space wasn't all that vast, but murderous monsters waiting for them behind every next door did slow their progress considerably.

The next chamber was a welcomed change from the local exhibits of various elements and missed ideas of room decoration occupied by accustomed overgrown flora and fauna. It was a laboratory, calm and dusty, probably undisturbed for long years. The flasks and bottles didn't contain anything more horrifying than a snake drowned in alcohol - Lavoc was certainly few leagues behind Irenicus. A desk, some strange construction made of metal and glass pipes, jars and dust, piles of age-worn books, broken potions and the rest of ancient mystic equipment, all dimmed with faint green light, coming from unknown source. And what was the most important - the chamber was monster-free.

"Team, we take a rest" the diviner ordered throwing her pack on the ground, squashing a tiny spider to a pulp under its weight.

"Boo is hungry! Who has the food?" Minsc asked loudly. They all had. With the amount of free time they had before entering the Lavoc's creation they made provisions as if they were going to invade the hells. Abyss wasn't any better, but it lost some of its primary dread when faced on full stomach.

After sating their hunger, everybody went to take care of their rest. Weakened Valygar and both healers fell like clogs on their bedrolls, tired after the day's fights, the rest of the team spread attending their equipment and weapons. Yoshimo began to check the room for traps once more, slightly paranoiac after disarming hordes of spikes on springs, acid bottles on strings and twisted electric generators. Daria picked one of the brighter spots and drew a pack with runes she attached to her belt when the party took off from the Copper Coronet. Twenty-four round stones lighted in anticipation.

Basic rune-reading was one of the easier lessons in Candlekeep and one of the earlier ones she learned. Apart from the normal runic language she studied, there were basic spell runes, their many dialects, types used by elves and dwarves, forms used only on the north, only on the west or only underwater. And there were also the divination runes. Each of the symbols had a unique meaning, but depending on the other symbols it was close to, it had many interpretations. The diviners used them from early ages, but the true skill was rare and even with a great talent in school of divinations it took a lot of practice to be able to read all the implications of the pattern. Daria had a talent and knowledge, now she only needed experience.

"What are you getting yourself into this time?" she caught Xan's gloomy curiosity after a fifth attempt, announced by a flash of emerald light.

"I'm trying to make out the pattern" Daria answered with her eyes peeled to the ground where the stones lied, pouring remains of magic in form of tired olive light. "Funny thing… I tried to divine my future, I thought it would be the easiest as a practice. This stone here and this one here…" she pointed a configuration. "…it shows that… I will die giving birth to a child?" Xan paled. He couldn't read a death sentence for her in the set of stones, but he believed that with her skills. If she foresaw it then she couldn't be wrong, even though it seemed impossible that in her current situation she would have such an unsuitable death cause.

"…but moments before it showed I will live a long and happy life till my appointed time. Doesn't it contradict each other?" He couldn't help a sigh of relief at her words.

"Show me how you do it" he asked. It was a known superstition that only a diviner could read properly from a pattern made by his or her runes, but at least he could check if she read the incantation right.

The diviner gathered the stones with some difficulty. Xan tried not to flinch when Gooseberry hurdled from the shadows and began to place the runes on his mistress' outstretched hand. Daria focused her attention on the thing she tried to uncover and threw the whole set in the air.

"Oroth uum whopei" she whispered as fast as she could. Emerald light flared moments before the set made contact with the ground.

"And now…" Daria bent over a new set of green lights. She only read the few central runes, not skilled enough yet to interpret the whole pattern. "…'conclusion' in element of fire, a wildfire perhaps. It can't be right."

"You're doing it the wrong way. The incantation should come before you throw the runes. It symbolizes an element of randomness and should be applied before. This way the runes are enchanted before they are thrown up, which represents the trails of destiny every mortal faces." Xan sighed deeply pausing in his explanation. "Only then a proper pattern will show."

"Ah…" Daria paused for a moment realizing her mistake. She raised her head back at Xan. "Let me divine something for you" she caught his arm to stop him, should he try to run away.

"I already know my future and there is nothing good or surprising in it" the enchanter sighed. "I will be dead within days, perhaps months, if I am lucky, which I doubt. My spirit will be trapped in Moonblade for centuries to come and the sword itself will be placed in hands of yet another unfortunate elf." He stopped complaining feeling her hand, without the protective covering of her glove, grasping his. Something in such a simple connection of their skin sent shivers up his spine.

"Oroth uum whopei" she recited solemnly, without the hurry this time, and threw all the stones up with her one hand. They blinked like true emeralds in the air and seemed to dance, twisting and whirling around each other before they fell. Daria immediately leaned to check the result.

"It is written here that… oh my! You will become a hero every elf will recognize. You will even have your own statue in Evereska! And you will get married, live in a house big as a palace and… have twelve children" she added a pause by the end for a dramatic effect.

"I… You're making it up" he asked incredulously. I took more than Daria's authority as a diviner to convince Xan that his life wasn't going to end tomorrow and he could settle down and find out that live was indeed worth living.

"Sorry… Couldn't stop myself." Ah well, she didn't expect him to believe in her little jest. "But it's here that you probably won't die any time soon and most likely succeed in your current endeavor."

"…only to be given another hopeless mission. But… thank you."

"No problem" a wistful smile was adorning her face. He took his spellbook sitting by her not to disturb her experiments and began to prepare his enchantments.

***

The lower levels of the Lavoc's Sphere were just as full of various monsters as the upper ones, which was bad, and were much smaller, which was worse. Apart from the obvious difficulties with fighting in tight corridors, where Minsc's new sword had a predicament to leaving marks on the ceiling, there were also new problems with finding fresh air in the passages. The atmosphere was stale before, the necromancers' hideouts rarely smelling with flowers for some mysterious reason, but now it became suffocating, with a smell of rot coming from the source no one truly wanted to detect. The heat coming from ahead wasn't improving the situation.

And the walls were coming closer. Daria never saw them move, but she could feel as they were clenching around them like a trap, aiming to crush their unsuspecting victims. She tried to keep an eye out on the surroundings, but as they descended further it didn't help. And the ceilings were becoming lower forcing her to watch out for them as well. Pearls of sweat were beginning to drop from her chin.

"Alright, what is going to happen?!" Jaheira was the first to break under the tension of group's diviner glancing around the corners like crazy, radiating with nervousness. Ironic that she was the one urging Daria not to use her foreseeing before.

"Um…" Daria's eyes turned silver for a second. "There are some fire mephits ahead" she said without looking at the druidess, her eyes fixed on the wall behind her. It wasn't the answer Jaheira expected.

"And that's why are you staring at the walls?" the half-elf placed both hands on her hips, stopping the march.

"Don't you see that they are getting closer?" The team answered her question with puzzled expressions. Only she noticed it? She was happy she did then, otherwise they might have been crushed unexpectedly. In a general moment of silence even Jaheira lost her confidence and looked at the rest of the party for support.

"Let me handle this" the elven enchanter stepped before the unnerved diviner. He began with a heavy sigh. "Daria, why didn't you tell us you are claustrophobic?"

"What?! I'm not…" she had to steal a look up, to check if the ceiling is still in the same place. "…I'm not claustrophobic!"

"Somehow I find it hard to believe" Jaheira raised an eyebrow.

"Don't worry little Daria! The walls won't eat you!" The sun elf tried to chuckle at Minsc's comment, but sounded so forced, that she resigned, preferring to take a look at the surrounding corridor.

"Give us a moment alone" Xan took his former student by the arm, gesturing others to give them some breathing space.

There wasn't much space to be given for a moment alone, but they made few steps back in the corridor. The stench became stronger and Xan tried not to lower his eyes to the ground, in fear that he might be the one to finally discover what its source was.

"Close your eyes" Xan asked softly after they stopped. The spot was good enough for what he was about to do. He understood what she was going through only too well. Entering the mines hidden in the forests of Cloakwood was a memorable experience after being imprisoned by Mulahey for over two months, and a one prone to returning every time a gloomy darkness of a dungeon or a underground passage closed above their heads. And now Daria was entering a mad wizard's laboratories once more, damp and full of monsters, with small rooms no elf would ever live in with comfort. It wasn't that hard for him, since he got used to a feeling of inevitable doom weighting over their heads, but it was completely new thing for her. He could do something to make traveling through easier however.

She threw a last fleeting look around and shut her eyelids obediently. 'I trust you' Xan remembered her say. She was blind drunk then, but… He touched the side of her face. Physical contact wasn't necessary for the spell he wanted to use, but he managed to convince himself that it would make it easier to cast. And harder to concentrate.

Xan only hesitated a moment before choosing a right place. He knew where she would be happy to be. A complex muttered verse, one smooth gesture and an image of a glade surrounded by a forest, full flowers in every imaginable color emerged before her closed eyes. A gentle breeze was twiddling in the grass, but never touched the girl standing in their midst, as well as the sun, covering the peaceful clearing in the glow of the end of the day. It was an impossible idyll, alive only in dreams.

He didn't enjoy watching flowers as much as she did. They reminded him painfully about the fact that all beautiful must wither and die sooner or later. But the amazed and overjoyed look on her face, no longer grimaced in nervousness, some naïve admiration in her features… 'All beautiful must wither…' He broke his gaze.

"Try not to bump on anything, if you plan to walk with closed eyes." Her eyes opened again at his words, but the grim reality was much more unpleasant to be put before such a beautiful dream and she closed her eyes again allowing him to lead her. She could now take a brief respite from the pressure her memories provided, as easily as closing her eyes. It was only an enchantment, not true teleportation, but good enough for such a purpose. Unless she was going to lead them to their deaths, marching into battle with her eyes closed.

"Thank you" Daria whispered from her imaginary world.

***

"The control room begins on the other side of this door." It was a final council of war before facing Lavoc the necromancer. Everybody was gathered around Daria, listening as she described the appearance of a large gloomy chamber. Valygar lost his controlled façade the moment she said that his necromantic ancestor was on the other side of the doors, now more resembling alternately a raw adventurer, lost in a veteran group, and the next second a revenge-driven madman with murder shining in his eyes. Yoshimo, who was walking alongside with him by now, took a wide step back.

"And one last thing" Daria continued. "I'm going to divine throughout the fight, so to those of you who are new to this – you are going to do exactly what I say, immediately and without questions. So when I say jump you don't look at me puzzled or ask how high. You jump" the diviner stated sternly, preparing mentally for the fight. Keeping the concentration all the time, in a midst of a raving battle was more than she ever tried, but if they were to face a five centuries old necromancer and live through it, she didn't really consider any other option. She could rely on luck of course, but she wasn't going to. A vision of her standing in the middle of a bloodied battleground, among the bodies of her friends, was supported by her imagination, backed up with her worst fears, instead of foreseeing, but she was going to listen to it just the same. She stopped herself from taking a deeper breath, it could only end badly with the suffocating gas that might have been air once filling the place, and pressed the heavy seal, which served as door to the control room.

Minsc and Jaheira ran through the doorstep at once, in as much distance from themselves as they could. They were both experienced in fighting mages and knew that being hit with a fireball was an occurrence that lasted in a memory for a long time. Anomen and Valygar kept together marching forward, fast, but not running. Xan took a position in a corner away from Daria.

Someone was there, on a platform among various controls and gizmos giving strange noises and unexpected flashes of light, accompanied by bubbling coming from translucent tubes filled with dense liquids. The dark shape began to turn to face them, and for a brief moment Daria considered closing her eyes in fear she might see something she didn't want to keep in her memory. But when a dark figure was lit by another sudden flare only a human face of a man in his late forties emerged from the darkness. Lavoc looked surprisingly well for his four hundred years.

"You!" the man hissed with as much hate and disgust as one set of voice chords could generate. "Because of you the Sphere returned to the Abyss. Fools… I was so close…" The strange resonance of his voice was giving creeps even to Gooseberry and he didn't understand a word of what was said. The rat hid deeper in his mistress' pack.

"The vow of my family will be fulfilled. You will not cause any more evil to this world, or any other, mage" Daria silently praised Valygar for a good piece of heroic talk, giving her enough time to prepare to enter her trance.

The words accelerated as her perception shot forward in time like a missile, cutting through the present tense. She stopped it after ten seconds, which hadn't passed in the place where her body was. Jaheira and Minsc were already only few steps from the stairs leading to the platform with controls, where the necromancer stood. Valygar hasn't finished his speech yet.

One wide swing of brand new talking sword - it couldn't be that easy. Daria knew that such things happened only in Minsc's tales and not because of his bad sense of narration. It never worked because…

A set of defensive abjuration spells erupted from Lavoc like myriad of auras, piercing through one another in a mix of shades that made tears appear in eyes.

"Xan, Dispel him! Breach as many as you can!" Daria flinched when she didn't hear her voice. She probably said it when there were no magic shields visible yet. Her vision shifted, making the world she saw whirl before her eyes, but after a moment she got used to its movements enough to discern a magic-removing dispel consuming hungrily some of the necromancer's newly built defenses. If Xan started casting ten seconds ago than the effects could be visible now, like an upgrade made on her vision.

"Ano, block him with a curse" the diviner tried to navigate through another time shift. She squint her slanted eyes to focus solely on the platform. Her vision gained sharpness just in time for her to see Jaheira's hand burned almost to a crisp by a fire shield.

"Watch out for the back-fire, Jah!" once more her voice stayed in the past, beyond her ability to hear. And the control room whirled, now showing the druidess dodging the force of her own blow returned to her in fiery cash. Daria realized that from some time their opponent's eyes were turned towards her, as he was uttering some words of a spell in a demonic tongue that certainly weren't a herald of another defense to appear. How should she warn herself?

She didn't have to dwell long on that question as in one swift moment a gap opened in all sparkly defenses for a moment long enough for Valygar's katana to penetrate through, interrupting the incantation.

"You will pay thousand-fold for this, mortal" Lavoc's voice lost any resemblance to what a human could emit. His features twisted beyond a work of muscles, but she was spared most of the gruesome details due to the shadows, fortunately not in humanoid shapes, gathering to cover the dark mage, along with his opponents. The sun elf realized it was a fear enchantment a moment too late. No, wait… She still had ten seconds.

She saw nothing and barely felt a thing, but she cast this particular charm countless times and her fingers didn't need much encouragement to fall into the right rhythm. But synchronization the invisible movements with her voice she couldn't hear either was agonizingly difficult, like half of her head was stuck ten seconds later than the other. Another rapid change in reality when she succeeded didn't help, leaving her on her knees. She cursed and got back to her feet. And again she didn't hear the curse.

'Alright, everything is alright.' Daria counted seconds with her waning strength maintaining the precognitions. All the front lines warriors resisted the fear effect protected by her charm and the necromancer's shields were beginning to falter.

"One last breach, Xan" it wasn't a decided order, more like a weak plead. She was rewarded with one of the most complex breaching she ever saw, appearing in her view in another spin of time. Upon its contact with one last miserable Stoneskin protecting Lavoc's hide all blows finally found their aim. And then a ground shook one more time. 'I didn't do anything this time…' the diviner though, but then she realized that it's not the time changing, but her perception. To more 'groundly' to be precise. She was fainting again.

Moving back was the only thing she could do, now that she couldn't see the future. The scene once again played before her eyes, like a more literal sense of déjà vu. Xan was just finishing his Piercing Magic incantation, while the rest of the party was trying to hit into the gaps of the faltering abjurations, but something was missing…

'Ah, yes.' A surge of pain in her head drew a moan from her lips. All was on place.

"Someone catch me" she asked like if giving another order. The ground stopped before hitting her in a face.

"Hold on, I'm taking you to Jaheira" an elven voice whispered to her ear. The fight must have finished and from what she remembered no one got seriously hurt. Her first successful divined battle – she was proud.

"Wait. Wait a moment before the ground stops spinning" Daria asked. Not proud enough to be able to walk. After the series of shakes, trembles and minor quakes caused by the ever-changing future standing on a solid ground was like trying to step on a drunken mouse.

Xan stood motionless, supporting her, breathing possibly quietly. She could almost taste his worry.

"I-I think I'm going to be sick" she warned loyally. She felt as if she was being released from his arms and tried to stand on her own, but the enchanter only guided her to sit on the ground, picking a place beside her. 'If you don't watch out, I will ruin another robes of yours, my foolish love' she though with some unusual tenderness, taking deep gulps of air. Slender fingers, warm after the exertion of the battle, gathered her hair behind her pointy ears, tracing lines on her forehead. Calmness came.

"What's wrong?" Daria heard a series of metallic clinks accompanying Anomen's voice, making clear that the priest was kneeling by her now.

"She's nauseous" the enchanter answered, but she could hear his voice by her ear as if he was talking to her, instead of to the priest.

"Let me help" Anomen most likely drew his holy symbol of Helm.

"No, it's fine" Daria sat straight. "I'm better now. I think I can stand." Anomen moved to hold her as she tried to get up, but Xan got in his way supporting the diviner, allowing her to hold up to him. The priest threw the elf a strange look.

Jaheira was bandaging burn marks Yoshimo received from his daring if ineffective assaults at the mage's fiery barrier. Minsc was waiting in a queue to get a same treatment. Valygar stood still on the platform, looking down at his barely breathing ancestor. He really had it all planned.

"The times when your evil taints the worlds are over. My family will no longer live in your shadow." The hatred in Valygar's voice was a bit too fiery for a conventional hero-talk, but beside that the line was almost perfect. All the party members, beside Jaheira, busy with treating burns, were watching the scene.

"What…? The presence… which possessed me… it's gone?" Lavoc was barely stammering through his wounds. He was already beyond the help of even an expert healer.

"What is it? Some sort of trick?"

"I have no… tricks left… who…?"

"I'm Valygar Corthala, the last of Corthala family, _your_ family Lavoc, family you thrived upon like a ghoul, prolonging your unnatural existence!"

"Yes… I remember… I am… all this things… and… something more".

Only a glare answered his barely muttered words.

"You banished the demon… demon I fought for so long… to our world… it wanted to reach…" Lavoc stopped, too weak to continue.

"I won't be fooled by your ploys".

"I can help you… to return to… to the Prime Material…"

"Why would we trust your good will, necromancer?" Jaheira joined Valygar on the platform after finishing treating her patients.

"You… have no choice… the Sphere listens only to its owner… I have a favor to… ask".

"He's saying the truth" Daria made her way on her shaking legs to the platform.

"I want to see the sky… of my homeland… I want to die on the plane… where I was born".

"We will take you outside if you show us how to return to Athkatla." Now it was Daria's turn to take the lead. Valygar was too distrustful and Jaheira too angry after almost being fried. And someone had to take them safely home.

"I swear, if this is some sort of deception…" Valygar drew his katana with the magic glowing on its edge menacingly.

"It's true… my descendant… just a favor… for an old man… who wants to finally rest…"

"How do we return?" The diviner cut the talk. The necromancer didn't look like he had enough time spare for wasting it on arguing about the trust. For her it was as simple as listening to her insights. Not that it was an infallible method.

"The Sphere needs energy… from a demon's heart. I will open the gates… outside".

"To the Abyss? We are doomed" Xan groaned.

"Jaheira, you will have to stay and keep Lavoc alive" Daria considered for a moment. She didn't relish the thought of leaving her step-mother alone with a formerly demon-possessed necromancer. She quickly evaluated her group. "Xan, you will stay with her. For safety reasons."

The druidess snorted. As if she needed protection. Xan took it with stoic resignation.

"We're taking a short break. The rest – we're in for a trip to the Abyss".


	23. Opening Hearts

„**Opening Hearts"**

Getting a demon's heart in a brimstone-smelling, smoke-filled dark plane of Abyss was both easy and difficult. Easy, because finding a demon in Abyss was as hard as finding hay in a haystack, and difficult because convincing a gigantic size demon, fully armed with spiky scales, horns and teeth, to willingly give up his heart… surprisingly easy was not.

Though persuasion had to wait until a demon was found in the first place. The atmosphere in the semi-plane was so dense, that made Lavoc's Sphere resemble a perfume factory in comparison. It was predictable that the demons would savor the smell of sulfur, but what was happening in there was a bit of an exaggeration. On the other side from the first step no one had any doubts that it was no heaven.

The first attempt of leaving the safe shelter of the Sphere turned out to be a complete failure, and after a minute the party had to withdraw, defeated by the smell alone. The second try, which they took with their faces covered in a pieces of blanket, was a partial success, since they only had to take few steps in the alien landscape, consisting of reddish rocks and strange shards seemingly growing from the ground, to notice the first demon. Partial, because the demon noticed them as well.

***

The silence lingered.

Jaheira put the dying necromancer under a sleeping enchantment, to preserve what was left of his strength until the party would arrive with a demon's heart. Now even his labored breathing was barely audible and hopefully it would remain so until the rest of the group returned. From what the druidess knew no one from the group ever faced a demon before, but she believed they would keep each other safe. Her ward's resourcefulness ceased to amaze her from the time she stopped to doubt it.

Xan didn't appear to share her certainty. He took out his spellbook and tried to go through his enchantments the second time this day, but eventually gave up, unable to concentrate while his thoughts were being drawn away by the rest of the group, facing demons somewhere outside. He was watching the entrance to the control room with uneasiness. And the silence lingered.

"What happened then?" Xan jumped at the sound of Jaheira's voice creating an echo in the deaf silence of the room. The druidess stood up from her seat by the necromancer and walked up to him. The enchanter threw her as neutral look of ignorance as he managed.

"You know what I'm asking about." There was no trace of irritation from Jaheira when she stated the fact, which was at least surprising. "What happened that night in Imnesvale? And don't even try to tell me that nothing. You may think that it is none of my business, but remember that Daria is my ward and all that concerns her _is_ my business." There was no harshness where it should be. The realization that Jaheira was easier to deal with when she was irritated and domineering was even stranger than her current behavior.

"I…" he began. '…don't know what you are talking about' remained unsaid. The silence lingered once more.

"We may not see eye to eye in many matters Xan, but I consider you my friend, as I hope you consider me yours." Jaheira's declaration was even more stunning than the druidess' calm manner. It wasn't that he didn't consider her a friend, or at least a close ally, but he never expected her to say it just like that. For a moment Xan considered if she wasn't under Lavoc's influence, making her act so bizarrely. Or he rather wanted her to be, so he wouldn't have to answer the question, but he sincerely doubted the dying necromancer had any interest in his emotional state.

"I… kissed her" he muttered only barely audible enough for Jaheira to hear. It was a poor description of what happened, of what he felt, of the pointless madness that took him for a moment, but it would have to do. He shifted his eyes to the ground not to see Jaheira's expression.

There was a surprise at first, and then suspicion that he was lying, shock at the realization that he wasn't and at last, consideration. All emotions the elf didn't see played on the druidess' face.

And the silence lingered.

***

"Now that we're done with the hard part, who's going to…?" Daria let the question remain unfinished, as she pointed at the torn and smelly carcass of a demon.

"Minsc is too strong for such a subtle job, so says Boo! He could destroy the heart!"

"I'm not sure I know where a demon's heart is located" Valygar took few steps back.

"Me neither!" Yoshimo quickly added.

"Priest's ethos forbids me from using cutting weapons!" 'But you do use butter knife' Daria thought sarcastically when Anomen, her last chance for keeping relatively clean robes, backed away from the dead demon.

"Men!" she pouted, drawing a dagger from her boot. And then she sighed and let her divinations lead her hands inside a dead fiend.

***

"Does she know you...?" Jaheira asked after few minutes that felt like a heavy age. Out of all the possibilities this she did not expect. She suspected that maybe Daria got too 'expressive' with her friendship while intoxicated, or she said something embarrassing again, but not this… The pair of elves never appeared to see each other this way, at least to her. And Xan was the last member of this party she would suspect of doing something unpredictable.

"She doesn't remember and I didn't tell her. She thinks she said something again and I… I don't want to lose her friendship".

"Do you love her?" Jaheira's tone was gentle as if she was afraid to ask.

"No. There must be some other explanation. I can't…" 'I can't love her' Xan ended mutely. He felt Jaheira's hand on his shoulder.

"If you ever need somebody to talk to…"

He simply nodded.

***

It was beating in her pack, she could feel it clearly, despite three layers of what was left from the torn blanket covering it tightly. Hearts were supposed to stop working after their owner's death, weren't they? Demon's hearts turned out to be an exception from the rule, and a very unpleasant one. Gooseberry wasn't overjoyed with the revelation either and decided to change his current dwelling to his mistress' shoulder, a location with perspective. They once again marched through the spiral leading down to tighter corridors and chambers with corpses of various creatures stacked in the corners. As the low and tight passages once more closed above their heads the diviner bit her lower lip until it bled, wishing Xan's fabulous enchantment hadn't extinguished already, but somehow she managed to reach the control room, located on the lowest level.

Jaheira immediately drew her quarterstaff as they entered, readying it to defend herself. Xan sitting nearby slowly put his spellbook down, loosing his hands for casting.

"Relax, it us" Daria weren't surprised they weren't recognized, covered in red dust and, in her case, sticky demon's blood, with their faces covered and smelling with odor de'Hells. She tried to uncover her face, but reconsidered, since after using hands which saw the inner side of a demon's chest she probably wouldn't be any more recognizable. It wasn't necessary however, as the druidess already put down her weapon, somehow recognizing her comrades through the stinky layers.

"Are you hurt?" Xan was already by Daria's side, ready to support her, should it be necessary.

"It's not mine" the diviner explained glancing with disgust at the sticky blood, drawing the beating heart from her pack. Thumping could be heard from inside the knotted material.

"I will wake him up." Jaheira eyed the beating pack and went back on the platform, where the necromancer slept.

"Anything happened while we were out?" the sun elf asked quietly, watching the druidess progressing with her magic.

"It was peaceful" the enchanter answered quietly, watching the druidess as well.

"You must hurry… I don't have much time left…" a pained moan announced that Lavoc is once more awake, if not for long.

***

'Why is it always me?' Daria thought with irritation, rising to her tip-toes on a shelf sixty feet above the ground, trying to touch the hole in the construction above her head, where the heart should be located. 'I'm the leader, I should be picking people to do the dirty work, instead of doing it myself' she sighed, before trying to concentrate on keeping herself on the ledge. The coordinates were already set according to the wounded necromancer's instructions and now all that was left to do was placing the source of the energy inside the engine. And she agreed to do it. Actually she forbidden anyone else to do it, but it didn't mean she wanted to be a volunteer. She sighed once more.

Her hand grasped a sharp tooth of one of the maw. She shivered. Who thought that giving an engine a shape of three demonic heads was an interesting and unique idea? She tried to find a safe spot to rely her weight on, but the shelf was wide enough only for one of her foot to stand. Apparently the golem previously assigned to this work had to be pretty slim as well. And probably had wheels which Daria in this particular moment pitied to be deprived of. Two levels of falling lower her party was watching her every move. 'Yoshimo should be doing this' the diviner nearly slipped looking at the bounty hunter limping after his meeting with demon's claws, standing on the firm ground below her. She sighed for the third time and made few inches further. Now she could sense two teeth in the maw under her fingers. The only thing left to do was place a beating demon's heart between them.

A vision bursting inside her head on this height almost sent her down very quickly, but she managed to hold on to a pointed tooth. It torn her glove, along with her skin, but saved her life. 'Come to think on it demonic-shaped architecture had a lot of advantages' she though regaining balance and trying to control her own racing heart. A simultaneous gasp of her party could be heard from the ground but Daria didn't take her chances to turn and look down once more. She was more absorbed with the little problem her vision showed. According to a quick, but very precise and dramatic glimpse, putting the energy source into the engine would result in a mild electrical wave being emitted, only strong enough to push a medium-weight elven female from a narrow ledge.

'Guess Lavoc forgot to mention this little detail' she frowned trying to figure out what to do. The necromancer most likely didn't count on her fall. It was more probable that he really forgot to mention it, since his golems were far too heavy to be harmed by the wave. 'If I fall I will end as a smeared stain on the ground. Unless…' Daria made a quick summary of the spells she had left prepared for this day. And a usual-unusual feeling told her to prepare a levitation spell during last rest. She smiled fugitively. She could always rely on her divinations, random as they were.

One quick whispered incantation, a bit of a manual labor with locating a piece of stinky, beating flesh inside the maw, a rapid jump downward to avoid a miniature electrical storm – and a show was ready. Another gasp was now accompanied with a her name being screamed quite loudly by Jaheira, but in split second the levitation spell kicked in, reducing her fall to slow and graceful floating.

"By Silvanus horns, you could have warned us!" the druidess seethed when Daria landed slowly just before her. Being caught on caring in public persistently annoyed Jaheira.

"It wouldn't be…" '_that fun_' died out in the horrible roar, coming from the depths of the Sphere's engine, making the floor shake as if it was but a piece of paper in a hands of a hyperactive child. Daria was the only left standing, or at least floating straight, that is, until Anomen brought her down to the ground, shielding her from the bits of the great mechanism falling all around them.

The diviner stayed immobile, curled under a shield with Delryn family crest, for a lasting moment, waiting for the shaking to cease completely, announcing the end of planar travel.

"Is everyone alright?" she dusted her robes nonchalantly gathering her sorry self from the floor. Fully plated warriors had more problems with getting to their feet.

"It's just a scratch, my lady, nothing to be concerned about" Anomen answered the diviner looking at a cut on his temple, with a smile proud as if he just faced a battalion of hill giants.

'Heroic fool' Daria thought, not without indulgent sympathy. She brushed a curl of hair from his forehead, touching the cut with her fingers and letting her inherent healing abilities take care of it.

"What about Lavoc?" the sun elf turned to Jaheira, only to notice the strange look the druidess was giving her.

"I'm alive… but please hurry… these are… my last moments" the necromancer was kind enough to answer the question himself.

***

"Ah… The sky… I forgot… after all this time…"

Athkatla was beautiful. It couldn't be compared to peaceful Candlekeep, refined Evereska or the majestic splendor of wild forests, but despite the smell of the slums filling the air, despite the cursing and arguing heard from below and even despite the muck and dirt covering every free surface it was a breathtakingly beautiful sight. Daria once again couldn't stop to wonder how the sunlight could change the worst pit into a place she longed with all her heart to be in.

And the sky… Could it be truly a coincidence that not a smallest cloud was visible this gorgeous noon?

"I want to… thank you for… for your kindness… young wizardess" The sentence was directed to Daria, who with some difficulty shifted her gaze from the firmament to look at the necromancer. All she saw in the daylight was a pained old man, dying not only from his wounds. And despite what she heard about him and all that transpired in the Sphere, she couldn't help but pity him.

"I pass the Sphere to you, making you its new owner. May it serve you better than it served me." For a brief moment Lavoc's voice wasn't faltering anymore, sounding strong and confident. Only for a moment, because when he spoke again it became even weaker than before.

"My heir… Valygar… for what it's worth… I'm sorry." Those were his final words.

"He's dead." The ranger stood up, interrupting a moment of silence with his voice, strangely changed by the absence of hatred. "Necromancer Lavoc is finally dead" he said as if he couldn't decide whether it was good or bad news. "The vow of my family has been fulfilled at last, but I don't feel any satisfaction. I… I thought it would be different."

Daria was staring at her hands, Valygar's words passing her attention. She felt different. Something changed and not only that…

"Could he repent?" Valygar asked people around him, people he hardly knew. For the first time he didn't appear confident nor determined. For the first time he looked as lost and unknowing as they all were.

Daria looked back at him and suddenly fell to the ground, wild spasm shaking her arms and legs, radiating further. Something was about to happen! A horrible memory surfaced with a sound like if somebody was turning feather-weight pages of a large tome, a completely non-ominous and not sinister sound she heard many times just before waking up, last thing she remembered from her dreams. Many mornings she wondered what was making the sound and couldn't recall where she heard it. Many mornings she pushed it from her mind, concentrating on her quest to free Imoen.

Teleportation! Irenicus' spells bringing destruction to the Promenade and everything near, falling boulders, bricks and pieces of wood from the ruined shopping stands and running. Wild running without a direction as far from the chaos raging behind their backs as they could. And then the sound, many sounds of the Cowled Wizards appearing all around them.

She stirred to consciousness tender and hurting, but didn't waste time on lamenting over her bad condition.

"Get inside. Quickly!" she screamed. It didn't turn out as loudly as she planned, but she was being held by Minsc and Valygar close enough for them to hear her. The brooding human got startled for a moment, but Minsc was used to the visions and he immediately repeated the order, taking the shaken diviner into his arms as gently as he could in full plate armor.

"Little Daria says we need to enter the Sphere at once!" Minsc shouted already bending not to hit the entrance with his head.

The exact moment the large Rashemi finished the sentence, they all heard a sound, resembling the one made by slowly turned pages of an old book, making the diviner shiver like a leaf on a wind.

"Inside!" Jaheira hurried Valygar, still standing like a pole. She was the last one to disappear in magically evoked darkness.

"Jaheira!" someone called from inside the Sphere.

The druidess saw that the party stopped in the first chamber of the plane-traveling construction, almost a perfectly plain hemi-sphere.

"Jaheira!" another urging came from the side of the room, where the diviner was placed on the ground, surrounded by her companions. Anomen was already chanting a healing spell. "She's getting worse!"

Jaheira knew from the time they escaped the dungeon that it would happen sooner or later. Her ward was always impatient and stubborn, but at least she kept her divinations in check, never exerting herself beyond heavy sleepiness. Her talents were amazingly precise, but hearing her saying that she's too tired or that she couldn't concentrate enough was nothing unusual before. It changed after months of tortures in the dungeon, as if the girl crossed some border of pain she was able to suffer to see through the veil of time and space. Her capabilities as a diviner increased greatly, but for crossing the limits of what her body could take she had to pay greatly. And she paid, every time someone from her friends was in danger, every time she could make the situation better, every time her fear took the better of her.

No, Jaheira wasn't surprised, seeing Daria on the ground, trying to say something despite the blood pouring from her mouth. She wasn't shocked by the fact that despite that her movements were barely coordinated and terribly slow, the girl tried to get up and prepare to cast. And it didn't stun her that even though Anomen and Minsc were trying to gently keep her on the ground she succeeded, standing on her own.

"Tolgieras… coming…" Daria choked.

"Daria, please sit down" Xan was by her side of course, pale and shivering. He tried to support her, the best he could. And Jaheira could see that no matter what he said earlier he did care for her more than a friend would.

"Your escape ends here traitors." It was Tolgieras, entering the chamber with a squadron of Cowled Wizards, their long office attires replaced by battle mages' robes. "Allying yourself with a murderer…" he was too refined to spit, but he used all the variety of tones to display his disgust in every possible way. "You should have known better than to stand against the Cowled Wizards".

"All we want is to free Imoen. I will pass the Sphere to you in exchange for releasing her." Daria stepped forward, swaying badly, clutching to Xan as to her lifeline.

"Are you truly that naïve to think we would bother with your unimportant plight? We would let you live as a reward. Of course after this betrayal it isn't possible. We will take the Sphere over your dead body. For securing the Sphere on my own, without any official help from outside my department I will be most certainly promoted." Everybody could be confident surrounded with a whole squad of battle trained mages, ready at his every whim, but the smugness in Tolgieras' voice was worked out in many years of practice.

"Activate the defense systems" the battered elf whispered as an answer. A low roar could be heard in the distance. The Cowled Wizards hesitated uncertain if it wasn't their imagination, playing tricks on them.

"What?!" Tolgieras only needed a second to understand what was happening before beginning to wildly cast shielding enchantments on himself. Daria could say that this moment of indecision cost him his life, but in fact he stood no chance of surviving from the moment he decided to follow them inside the opened entrance of the Sphere.

"Release the golems" Daria's eyes silvered for a second just before she said that.

They came instantly, without a theatrical moment of uncertainty, without suspicious shuffling sounds. They came from alcoves, where they stood inactive for years, covered in dust concealing their shapes, from the chambers where they were being created and from the rooms where they were nearly destroyed by their unrelenting enemy – time. They came crumbled, broken, some missing limbs, some even heads, other falling to pieces at their first steps. They came with a rumbling noise of tens of mechanical feet made of clay, stone and flesh, falling like an avalanche at the squadron, which suddenly didn't look that numerous anymore. And they began to crush.

Funny thing how even a crumbled golem, a wizard's creation, was also it's worse enemy, completely immune to any magic.

"For the fallen!" Jaheira joined the fray, Minsc and Valygar at her heels.

"Go for the eyes Boo!" Minsc battlecry made it through the thunder of unfeeling fists hitting magical barriers.

The diviner slipped from Xan's grasp. She fainted softly, noiselessly gliding to the ground. As an expert of sudden losses of consciousness her muscles tensed without the control of her will, softening her landing and then relaxing upon resting on the ground.

She felt as if she was closed in a pillow, soft and tickling feathers dancing around her, only barely brushing her skin. Celestial light was pouring from above, bathing the feathers in warm glow – each time a heavenly spark touched a feather, it began to gain its own inner light, turning into a flawless diamond. Myriads of gems were falling under her feet, into a light endless depth of sparkling whiteness. But then the celestial light finally fell on her making her limbs stiffen painfully. She watched as her palms began to turn into ugly shapeless gray stone, marring the ethereal beauty of the place. The gray layer began to crawl up her hands and legs, but she did nothing to resist it. She only wished she could crumble to dust, leaving the charm surrounding her undamaged. She woke up the exact moment the stone covered her completely. And groaned smitten with a headache.

"Jaheira will come in a moment. She only has to defeat the invaders" Xan's voice sounded to her right, as if the elf was ensuring himself even more than her. He placed his former student on a table, in an adjacent room, relieving her of her cloak and hood. All he could do was loose the collar of her robes, wipe the blood from her face and wait for the healers to come. He stroked her hair in what meant to be a soothing gesture. It was soothing him a bit.

"They wouldn't release her. It was all in vain" Daria explained barely conscious, fighting the dull pounding in her skull.

"Please try to rest. They will come soon" the sounds of a raging battle outside the room were telling otherwise. "You will find a way to free Imoen. You always find a way." That was actually the first time she heard Xan having faith in someone. In her.

Pity she couldn't hold the same confidence in her heart anymore.

The world fell to blackness.


	24. The Elf and the Rat

"**The Elf and the Rat"**

„You shouldn't get up, you still haven't recovered yet." The angry druidess was trying to block her, standing in her way.

"I'm fine." Daria didn't stop for a second to look at Jaheira, passing her on the way to nowhere particular.

"Lady Jaheira is right, my lady. Please, return to your bed." Anomen was right behind her.

"I'll be all right." The sun elf didn't pay any heed to him either.

"You won't help Imoen, strolling through this Sphere of yours all day!" finally Jaheira snapped.

Daria stopped. Moisture gathering in her eyes was beyond her control already, but now her voice chords joined the rebel and instead of a sharp sarcastic retort they produced a trembling sob, soon turning into an uncontrollable burst of crying. She tried to muffle her own treacherous voice and broke into run, calling forth her control over the Sphere's mechanisms to cover her from the chase.

"Child…" Jaheira could only whisper when the secret door closed shut behind her ward.

***

He was sitting by what could pass as a fireplace, on what was once a comfortable armchair. A group of golems Daria inherited after Lavoc, those which survived the battle at least, were directed by the diviner to make the no longer plane-traveling device as much home as they could. Seeing neat lines of mechanical creatures kneeling before their new owner and hurrying to fulfill her every wish was an impressive display. Watching the golems losing their limbs as they worked impressive was not, but nonetheless after a day and a night, as the mechanisms needed no time to rest, all the bodies of various creatures from necromancer's menagerie were burned in giant strove and ancient furniture was placed all around the construction, though without any care for its function. Somehow the golems couldn't grasp the idea that chairs should be placed by the table, or that the tables shouldn't be put with their surfaces on the ground, but at least they were semi-intelligent enough not to place anything wooden near the fire.

All the equipment was stored on the lower levels, as forgotten as the golems, but Daria didn't hesitate to use her spells to discover all the secrets Lavoc's construction had in minutes, concentrating even despite Jaheira practically tying her to her bed and yelling at her all the time. The furnishings from the times when Lavoc was still at least a bit sane were the first improvement she made inside. Broadening the corridors and the ceilings was a bit more than a simple problem and was placed further on a long list of things left to do to make the Sphere a welcoming shelter instead of a dark grave.

From what he knew they had all the time for improvements they would need. The whole round construction was so far an unyielding stronghold against any magical or physical attacks, and now it wasn't disintegrating everything that touched it, instead serving it a mild electrical burn, more in worry for the pigeons than for people, who were placed lower on the list of main concerns for some bizarre reason. Some more Cowled Wizards came to examine the Sphere after its unexpected return, but they lost interest after all attempts of breaching its defenses failed once more. No one noticed the party members going in and out after the dusk, to restock their supplies, and buy some things to their new headquarter.

He turned the page of the book, realizing he couldn't recall what he was reading just a moment ago, making his way through the piles of spellbooks, another one of Daria's legacies.

"Don't" he said to a golem trying to help him turn the page.

It was another of 'conveniences' of the Sphere. Every party member, with small exception of Valygar who refused to take part in this deviltry, was assigned a golem to carry out every task it was given. He was gifted with not an exceptionally bright specimen, but a one with most developed motivation to be helpful. It already resulted in one of the priceless tomes from the ancient mage's collection being practically torn to pieces when the creature began to try turning the pages of the book for his new master.

He sighed and turned another page. This one didn't leave any lasting trace on his memory either.

"You there! Get up! It's not time for lazing around!" Jaheira in her best condition, shouting and ordering around the place, came down the hallway, picking him as her new target. He could see she was holding something in her hand, waving it around as she spoke.

"As a matter of fact it is. I doubt we can do anything more without a reasonable plan and for that we have to wait until Daria is fully rested. You do realize how she hates scheming behind her back" he explained as composedly as he could, unwilling to add more fuel to the one flaming with irritation druidess. Even though loud and bossy he preferred Jaheira to be like that rather than a person who could considerately worm all secrets out of him.

"She ran off. And you are going to find her and make sure she's all right. And then you will drag her to bed. Her bed I mean. To rest" Jaheira added seeing the elf's flush.

"Why did she run off?" He closed the book and put it back on a pile. He couldn't concentrate on reading anyway and though it was doubtful that Daria got lost in the Sphere, he'd rather not risk finding out with time what she could get herself into.

"I don't know!" The half-elf practically yelled in his face.

"Jaheira…"

"I mentioned Imoen and she… she started crying…" Jaheira wasn't irritated. She was worried sick. Hardly ever she had a chance to see her ward crying.

It was because Daria had a habit of running off to the woods when she felt miserable, Xan thought, but didn't dare to say it out loud.

"If you can't find her, then I won't be able either, I'm afraid" he said instead.

"It will help you." The 'thing' Jaheira held in her hand turned out to be a live rat, completely furless. The druidess threw it on his lap.

"Gooseberry" Xan recognized the poor thing. It seemed his mistress overdid with the soap again, cleaning her familiar not only from the dirt, but from his fur as well, though at least the enchanter could hold it now without sneezing constantly. The rat peeped sullenly.

"She left it in her room. It didn't want to show me where its 'mistress' is, but said it trusts you, because you're the 'food-giver'." Xan raised an eyebrow. It wasn't strange that Jaheira talked with a rat. It was strange that he didn't obey her. "And you're the only person Daria listens to. Sometimes."

Xan glanced at Gooseberry. Gooseberry glanced back.

"Off with you!" Jaheira hurled them to work. "I'll send Minsc to patrol the corridors just in case, but you should find her first. I'll be waiting in her bedroom".

***

He found her. Of course it wasn't as easy as following a rat, but after breaching several secret doors Gooseberry was kind enough to point with his peeping, and locating ways around the holes only a rat could fit in, the pair had reached a high circular chamber on the highest story of the construction. Gooseberry immediately made his way to his mistress, sitting motionless on the floor in the middle of the room, with her back turned to the entrance.

"Daria?" the enchanter asked quietly not to startle her. His voice was perfectly audible in an empty room on the top of the construction, but if she heard him, she didn't react, neither to his question, nor to Gooseberry trying to get inside her pocket. Xan came up to her slowly, feeling the chill crawling up his spine.

"Daria?" he asked again, only few steps from her. And again he received no response. He made the last step and looked at her face.

She was staring at the wall with a blank expression and tears smeared on her face. She looked old as if some specter has just drained all life energy from her, leaving but an empty shell of a once living being. All colors faded from her cheeks, but what scared him the most was an ashen color of her unseeing pupils, fixed on some point in the air.

"Daria! Daria, wake up!" He shook her a bit too harshly, fear adding to his strength. She was limp like a ragdoll in his hands, putting no resistance, but eventually blinked, dark violet returning to her eyes.

"By all gods, Daria, you scared me to death... again." Xan took her in his arms, cradling her gently. He sighed with relief feeling that she's still warm, though exhausted. For one terrible moment… For another terrible moment, he should think. There were too many of these moments lately.

"I can't find her... can't find…" she began to murmur, fresh tears gathering in her eyes once more. For a moment she didn't seem to know where she was, but then her blurry vision centered on him. She huddled on to herself and tried to hide her face from his sight.

"Show me your eyes." Xan lifted her chin to examine her irises. The grayness was no longer visible as if it was just a trick of light. "How do you feel? I have to take you to Jaheira immediately. Couldn't you use the runes?" There was a note of reproach in his voice he couldn't stop. He tried to lift her from the ground, but she stopped him, releasing her knees and clutching to his arm instead, as if trying to ask for a bit more time to compose herself.

"I tried... many times. Where is Imoen, where's the Cowled Wizard's prison, even what would they take in exchange for their freedom... It's... It's... It's hopeless." The struggle to withhold tears was visible on her face.

He said nothing, just held her close, giving her the comfort without trying to look at her. She needed it, but in her foolish stubbornness she would never admit she did.

"How can you take it?" she asked.

Xan didn't need to ask to know what she meant.

"I have my duty to Evereska." It was his reason to keep going. No thing was eternal and Evereska was doomed to fall as any other kingdom or land, but though meager in face of all enemies threatening his homeland he gladly devoted all his strength to protect it. It was a futile endeavor at least, but enough to be a goal in his life. It would keep him going no matter how desperate or vain his effort was.

"And I'm interrupting you in accomplishing your quest. I didn't even try to locate the vampire's nest yet. I can try now..."

He stopped her trembling hand trying to gather the runes and put it back on her lap.

"You're tired. And my task can wait a little longer. It's not like if I could locate the vampire coven that fast without your help anyway."

She said nothing, but turned her head away from his sight again.

"I'm not here only because of the mission. I'm here because I... want you to be safe." He tried to be as moderate as he could. He said such things many times before, they were good friends after all, and she used to be his student, which made him feel somewhat responsible for her. But now he wanted to say more than just that. He didn't know what exactly, but... more.

"And even after I complete my task, you know I will not leave your side until I make sure you are safe. That is, if I will be alive at that future moment, which is a rather big assumption".

She moved a bit closer, putting her head on his shoulder. He could feel her breathing on his neck. The chamber suddenly became much warmer.

"I'm tired. I feel as if I hadn't rested for ages, though I probably slept through most of the previous week. And I don't know if there even is a chance of success. It might be all in vain... Imoen can be already..." She couldn't say it out loud. She couldn't! Something was constricting her throat making it impossible to say a thing. How she hated being weak…

She felt his arms surround her again, moving her back and forth in a cradling movement. 'Like a child... Will I always be like a child for you?' It was not what Daria wanted to be, but her body relaxed in spite of her feelings. Sleepiness began to envelop her in a thick shroud, slowly leading her away from this world.

"I almost can't believe you saying such things... Almost…" Xan whispered softly in her hair.

"And I don't believe you of all people would blame me for it."

"I don't. I understand. But to think you could laugh before... in Angelo's prison, surrounded by his men. And those horrible jests of yours. Remember the first thing you said after you found out about your heritage?"

She didn't remember. After all the mind-infecting spells she endured in the dungeon recalling every detail from the past before the capturing was like a new torture. But laughing in a prison? She doubted they were there as visitors, guessing from tone of Xan's voice. Only her most treasured memories survived the trial of torture and being locked up obviously wasn't one of them.

"I feel... something." It wasn't because of the memories. Her heart began to beat differently and her hands were suddenly warmer, itching, ready to…

She gathered the runes and placed them on one hand. Mild shiver was going up her spine every time she touched a mark on the stone.

"I don't know the correct question. But I need the answer..." Daria began to shift the stones from one hand to another.

"Maybe you have to simply ask what you are meant to do to rescue Imoen."

She looked at him. And gave him a quick fierce hug. Xan telling her to have faith in destiny… The world has gone mad or it was mad from the very beginning. Either way she had nothing to lose.

"Tell me what I need to do to find my sister Imoen". Then she whispered the incantation and threw the runes up. The pattern's glow was dull, she could barely distinguish the marks on the runes, but the quickly fading green light was enough for her to read her divination.

"A place of changing treasures... exchanging treasures. Someone or something we met in the darkness, but made of light. Guided by a god. Definitely. And a... a..."

Xan looked at a pattern, but the meaning behind the setting of the stones was completely alien to him. He wished he could help, but somehow it made him a bit proud that his student got that far in her Art.

"Something between an ally and a friend. More than an ally but not yet a friend. Maybe an ally that becomes a friend? Mazzy... I think we should visit Mazzy. She's from Trademeet isn't she?"

She looked at him as if for a moment she completely forgot about his presence. She took his hand in hers carefully and raised her eyes again.

"I'm sorry... I'm making you worry all the time and..."

He wished he could hug her as easily as she could him. Inside he longed to do it with all his heart, but outside he couldn't move his finger for an inch. He wanted to, but… How to do it? How could he casually circle arms around her?

"You are fine now and that's all that matters to me" his tongue got from his control for a moment. He continued quickly to mask it. "We can set off to Trademeet tomorrow morning. This will leave us this afternoon to make provisions and determine the road. And you need to rest…"

"If I remember correctly it takes three days to reach the town on foot. I'll ask Jaheira to be sure. But first I'm going to take a nap. You have no idea how tired I am." He had some idea, given the retaining grayness of her skin and dark rings appearing under her eyes, but vigor returned to her voice and mattered more to him than all troubles she could get them all in tomorrow. Or ever.

Nonetheless he drew back flabbergasted, as she nestled herself on his lap.

"Don't fret, I'm not going to eat you. From what I remember you're quite a comfortable piece of a pillow." Daria seemed to be returning to her old self, grabbing the end of his cloak to cover her shoulders and immediately falling asleep. She was known for doing that before.

What could he do? Being reduced to a role of a head support wasn't exactly flattering, but he decided not to mind. He couldn't imagine minding having a sleeping beauty on his knees.

"Xan?" Daria opened one eye to look up at him.

"Yes?"

"What was the first thing I said after finding who my father is?"

"If I remember correctly it was 'What a relief. For a moment I was afraid it would be Ulraunt'. And then you fainted."

***

"Onward to futility!" Daria squealed happily, leaving the gates of Athkatla behind her. It was the old Daria - cheerful and careless. Or rather a ruse, making her appear cheerful and careless once more. Or was she that overjoyed by the fact that the scar on her face finally yielded to the supremacy of Jaheira's salves? She was unconscious most of the times when the druidess was rubbing the salve into her skin, so no wonder she was so surprised with the effects.

Xan sighed mournfully.

"Hey, cheer up! The fact that I'm pretending to be happy doesn't mean I can't find true happiness in the future" the diviner proclaimed with loud and undoubtedly false glee, commenting the sour look on his face. And the true mastery of over his moods, discerning gloomy silence from doubtful muteness, just like before. Xan couldn't help but sigh again.

"Trademeet beware!" Another one of her nonsensical squeals scared the local fauna. Though Jaheira appeared to be genuinely pleased with the change I her ward's manner. Xan received an approving nod as if it was all his doing. He doubted it was, but at least the druidess wasn't trying to murder him anymore, like when he emerged in the bedroom with a pale sleeping sun elf in his arms, wrapped tightly in his cloak. Not that she blamed him for it. She only felt a sudden urge to release all her worry in a violent outburst and he happened to be near.

"Why are we going there, if I may ask?" Valygar was strolling in the back of the team. He rarely spoke more than a word since the death of his ancestor and tended to avoid staying longer inside the Sphere, busy organizing a funeral for the five hundred years old necromancer. It wasn't an easy task with Cowled Wizards still looking for him all over the city. Certainly he didn't want to order a date of birth being placed next to the date of death on his ancestor's tombstone. He was still a wanted criminal and thus he decided to join the party in their adventures until the death warrant over his head faded from the memory of the officials. He couldn't decide whether he was content with this compulsory company or not.

"To visit Mazzy" Daria answered his question. "You met Mazzy, right? We rescued her in the forgotten temple of Amaunator. She left us an invitation, remember?"

"And _why_ are we going to visit her?"

"Because it will ultimately lead us to freeing Imoen" Daria answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"I… understand" the ranger said, clearly not understanding. The leader of the party was either insane, or had some serious problems with mood shifting. The day he encountered the strange team the first time, she was a nearly completely drained wizardess, playing with powers far beyond her control. In the battle she was a stern leader, guarding her friends at all costs, but also treating them a bit leniently. And now she miraculously changed into an adolescent on its first 'adventure'. And all the others didn't seem to mind.

Yoshimo was the only one from this group, who Valygar could call at least faintly reasonable, having enough common sense not to point a hamster in his direction, or make him listen to a tale how he heroically killed on orc, or persuade him to give up his life instead of continuing in this hopeless task. The ranger decided to end this conversation, before it led somewhere where he didn't want to go, and wait up for the bounty hunter.

"We're going to succeed and all will be back to normal!" He heard a cheerful squeal from the front of the group as the party began the march to Trademeet.


	25. Trademeet, beware!

„**Trademeet, beware!"**

Trademeet had its own problems to 'beware', much more serious than a group of adventurers with an uncanny talent in entering an element of discord in even the calmest population of over ten people. It definitely wasn't a lively little town Daria expected to be a welcoming bay after three long days in the wilderness, with goblins trying to raid their camp at night and steady bandit population near every trade route. She already got tired of pretending to be cheerful and decided that mild and more composed gladness was in order, but even that amount of joy had to yield to seriousness when upon reaching the town's gate the party faced one of the most unusual attacks so far.

The gates weren't besieged by bandits or neighboring country's soldiers. Even an army of skeletons or other kind of undead would be less astounding than wild wolves jumping at the gate guards, accompanied by a large brown bear trying to break through the wooden barricade and a spider, climbing the town walls. The whole party stood in a moment completely stunned, watching a bizarre battle raging before them.

"Jaheira…?" Daria finally managed to recover from stun.

"Normal animals don't act that way. We should help the militiamen." Animals were Jaheira's jurisdiction as a druid. Nobody needed to be told twice.

"What are you doing here civilians?" The captain of the town guard, a wide-shouldered woman with her face hidden under helmet, approached them after they chased of the last wolf, sweated and panting after a battle. So much for 'thank you'.

"We came to visit a friend, but now we're more interested in the reason why these animals attacked the town." Daria moved at the head of her party, facing a woman over a foot taller than her without losing her ground.

"It's none of your business civilian, but for your own safety it would be better if you hadn't come here at all. Stay behind the city walls." That, along with a scowl, was all they received as an explanation.

"I hope that Mazzy Fentan will be able to shed some light on what is happening here" Jaheira wiped a bloody stain from her quarterstaff. A glint in her eyes was saying that someone was going to pay for what happened today.

***

"The animal attacks began shortly before my return to Trademeet" the halfling paladin explained after all her guests have received tea and a cookie. She smiled at a private joke. "It seems every time we meet I'm in serious trouble."

"What caused the attacks?" Jaheira bit into her cookie with all the nature's wrath. And it wasn't uncalled for, since the cookies were stone-hard.

"We don't exactly know. At first we thought it was just a coincidence. Stray wolves weren't a serious threat. But then they began to come in packs, accompanied by larger animals like bears and giant spiders, which they usually shun from. The trade routes were being blocked by falling trees and the caravans started to disappear. If that wasn't bad enough alone, a clan of djinis came shortly after, putting a monopoly over all goods left. People are beginning to starve…"

"Djinis? What djinis are doing in Trademeet?" Daria asked, throwing a doubtful look at her cookie. If the town's people were beginning to starve then that was probably her dinner.

"They don't hide the reason of their presence. They're after a creature called Ihtafeer, a rakshasa. Their leader claims it's hiding somewhere near the town, but instead of hunting it, or rather her, they monopolized what was left of town's trade, keeping all the merchandise in their coffers, and threaten that they won't leave until the head of the creature is delivered to them".

"Foul creatures" Anomen muttered, halfway through his small meal.

"I was trying to form a group of adventurers to put an end to animal attacks and find the rakshasa, but with my former comrades gone…" a lone tear made its way on the halfling's face. Daria immediately moved from her seat on the ground to hug the small warrioress.

"That… wasn't necessary." Mazzy hesitated after being released from the embrace. She wiped the tear furtively.

"We can help you! This whole thing is somehow connected with Imoen's imprisonment." Now something was happening. Daria hoped it wasn't a coincidence. She tried to forge hope into something more certain.

"We could start with persuading Lord Coprith, the mayor of Trademeet, to let us see the druid jailed in the Hall" Mazzy proposed.

"Jailed?!" Jaheira stood up from her seat at once.

"Well… Some of the townspeople are blaming the druids from the local grove for the attacks. But it doesn't make any sense. Trademeet was always keeping friendly relations with the local grove. I see no reasons why would it change all of sudden. The druid was detained mostly for his safety. Hungry people tend to be desperate…"

"Daria, we're going to free this druid now" Jaheira stated firmly. It was one of this moments when it wasn't exactly clear who us the leader of the party.

"Maybe it could wait till the morning?" Daria threw a doubtful glance through the window. The sun hadn't set yet, but after a full day of marching a night of running away from the town guards wasn't a welcoming perspective.

"And leave the poor man in a cell for the night?!"

"Alright, alright…" Maybe Daria wasn't assertive. Or she really, truly hated the thought of anyone forced to sleep on the cold stone floor, surrounded by bars. "We have all equipment we need, so Mazzy if you would be so kind…? Somehow I doubt we will be allowed in the city again after freeing a prisoner from the jail."

"I'll be ready in ten minutes" Arvoreen's paladin stated firmly.

***

They were surrounded the exact moment they left the Fentans' house. Someone must have put a gossip that newcomers arrived in the city otherwise they wouldn't find them that quickly. A group of gypsies immediately poured all sort of offers of fortune telling, bringing luck and supporting with cheap own-made potions on them, making it impossible to move without an extensive use of elbows. Luckily Yoshimo was the one trusted with the party funds and as a paradox, being a thief, he wouldn't let a pickpocket use the crowd as a cover to get his hands on party's money.

Someone from the crowd seized Daria's hand turning it with palm up. The sun elf tried to free it, but an old woman who got hold over her had an amazing strength hidden in her wrinkled and stained hands. The sun elf had to stop if she didn't want to have her wrist twisted.

"You're in love!" the old gypsy exclaimed triumphal, loud enough for a deaf zombie to hear her. "Old gypsy can show you a way to his heart. With a love potion or a spell…"

"How…" Daria only managed to stammer, caught completely by surprise. The scene was quickly emptied and the trade offers quieted slowly when everybody's attention was centered on the old gypsy and her newest 'victim'.

"How do I know? Old gypsy has a way to read the fate from…"

"How dare you?!" The diviner fought the shock. Wild flush of either shame or anger lit on her face and she wrestled her hand free from the gypsy's grasp.

"I only speak the truth, dear child. Or are you claiming that you're not in love? That your heart doesn't beat faster, that heat doesn't swathe your skin, at the thought of _him_?" The old woman laughter sounded more like if she was choking.

"It… It does not." Daria needlessly hesitated. Now everybody was probably thinking she was lying. "It does not!" she shouted with all determination she could muster. Unfortunately it was the most efficient way of confirming the gypsy's words.

"You cannot change the truth with your foolish words only, child". The gypsy's self-satisfied smirk was like a red rag to a bull.

"Truth?! You want truth?! I'll show you the truth!!!" The diviner's eyes lit like silver torches. "Ha! You're not even a real gypsy. You ran away from home in a village when you were thirteen to become a famous singer, though you could barely sing at all. You lied that your father was a gypsy so you could be accepted in the tabor when you ran out of money you stole from your family! You want more truth?!"

It took both Minsc and Jaheira to drag the infuriated elf away from the now silent group of gypsies.

"And even if I am in love, that's none of your business, you hear me?!" Daria continued to shout until the group disappeared behind the corner.

"Go ahead to the Hall. We'll catch up with you shortly." Jaheira put a hand on her panting and flushed ward's shoulder, pinning her to the ground.

"As you wish." Mazzy threw a sympathetic look at the diviner and turned to lead the rest of the team to the Hall. Daria felt the eyes of her companions on her back before each of them turned to follow the halfling paladin.

"I… I'm not…" The elf fell silent receiving Jaheira's finest 'I-know-better' look.

"I'm not going to comment. You are of age and I hope Gorion told you all you need to know".

Daria remembered her father's 'bees and flowers' talk she received few years ago as a birthday present, leaving her blushed and embarrassed. She didn't blush anymore at least.

"I'm only concerned if Anomen is a right partner for you".

The sun elf bit her tongue quickly before a surprised 'what?' found its way out.

"You shouldn't be surprised I noticed." Jaheira internally sighed with relief, relieved that she guessed correctly, misinterpreting her ward's stunned expression. "You aren't leaving his side for more than a minute since he joined our party and I believe he enjoys your company as well. But he's a human and you are an elf. It may not seem so now, but it is a huge difference."

'And so says a half-elf' the diviner thought, but stayed silent not to hurt Jaheira's feelings. After all she barely knew a thing about the druidess' parents and the fact that Jaheira wasn't keen on elaborating made it potentially a touchy subject.

"Maybe you could spend more time with Xan…" The druidess certainly wouldn't make her living as a match-maker. It was heartbreakingly funny to see her clumsily trying to match her ward. It wasn't the graceful Jaheira Daria knew.

"You didn't think about asking him about it first, did you?" The sun elf laughed bitterly. "Besides, what kind of idea is that? A defender of Elvenkind, a Moonblade wielder, a Graycloak of Evereska - paired with a Bhaalspawn? I'm not even a full-blood elf Jaheira. Just some sort of… demielf."

"It's your decision… child" The last word was spoken differently, with warmth and some different meaning, but the rest was just a plain misunderstanding. And Daria couldn't clear it up. What could she say? That she's not in love? Jaheira wouldn't believe her, at least not in this lifetime. That she's not in love with Anomen? Then who was she in love with? The elf sighed and let it go. At least she could count on Jaheira that she wouldn't try to 'initiate romantic sceneries'. It was Imoen's favorite way of teasing her sister after Ajantis joined the party. Or at least one of top ten.

"I… Would you marry Khalid if he wasn't a half-elf as you?" Daria asked carefully.

Jaheira only hugged her, as if she expected the question.

"Of course I would".

"I'm sorry… It's my…"

"Child, stop indulging in self-pity, we have work to do." A moment of sentiments passed and the hawkish look on the druidess' face was back on its place.

Daria smiled.

***

"Once again we are in the middle of trouble. Why is it that everywhere we go, there is a town to rescue or a helpless villagers to save? Couldn't we pass at least one town without having to resort to higher magic to save a cat from a tree?" Xan went silent only after they finally reached the perimeter of the forests in which the grove was located, but not for long. After a while in which no rabid animal attacked he continued his usual way of conversing.

"I'm sorry that my mission is such a burden to you." The new addition to their team, a druid they rescued, going by the name of Cernd, was the only person yet unused with Xan's method of starting a conversation. It was beginning to become some sort of primary test of character in their group every new member had to face.

"If it was only this mission… One mission" Xan snorted. "I would be truly surprised if it hadn't grown to a whole expedition by the end of the night. If we survive it, what is rather a faint and foolish hope, given the circumstances. Most likely the packs of wild animals circling in this forest won't let us see this dawn. Or any other at that."

Stating that the party rescued Cernd was a bit of an exaggeration since all they had to do was to talk with Lord Coprith, the mayor, for the prisoner to be released without delay, and placed under their care. Either Mazzy was truly held in the highest esteem in Trademeet, or the mayor wanted to get rid of his prisoner pretty badly.

From there it was only worse, because though no one openly attacked them, stones 'accidently' falling from the windows in their direction began to cut through the air more often with every step they made towards the gates. A small crowd was gathering behind every corner and though running towards the town's gates would serve them better in avoiding the falling stones, Daria kept the marching pace steady. Something was telling her that the only reason why they weren't chased yet was the fact that they didn't run.

"The Grove is located deep in the forest. It will take us few hours to reach it and it's already getting dark…" Cernd was either too timid to propose setting a camp or he didn't feel exactly comfortable in the group yet. Most likely both.

"You know a safe spot for a camp?" Daria asked. Cernd was also the only person who wasn't throwing her a knowing, curious, or any other sort of look, since he didn't have the doubtful luck of witnessing her encounter with the gypsies. Anomen was in the 'knowing' group unfortunately. Daria wasn't looking forward to clearing the mess up.

"I do. But I would advise against keeping a big campfire at night. It may… attract unwanted attention."

As if she hadn't enough of it…

***

Xan closed his spellbook, rubbing his eyes, tired from studying the complex arcane runes written in his careful handwriting, during the last watch set for this night. He took a look around the camp they set near the grove, forest as thick as a jungle surrounding a fireplace, Jaheira guarding the fire both from spreading and extinguishing. The light of the dawn was barely penetrating through the green cover of the leaves. His eyes slowly adjusted to enfold every party member busy preparing for the march or resting, wrapped in a sleeping bag, clutching to the last moments that could be spent sleeping. Xan would never admit to himself that he was searching for someone in particular instead of merely glancing at his surroundings, but he instantly realized that a familiar robed silhouette was missing and her bedroll was empty. He didn't want to ask anybody about the reason of their leader's absence either, but once again his uneasiness took the better of him when the thought that no one else noticed Daria's absence began to itch inside his head.

"Where is Daria?" the enchanter asked the nearest person.

"Our dearest leader went to the forest about half an hour ago" Yoshimo smirked at the elf's worried expression, but Xan failed to notice the bemused look on his face. "Jaheira already sent one of her bird-scouts to find her, but maybe you should go and check if everything is fine, my friend?"

"Yes, I... shall do so." The enchanter didn't as much as spared a glance at his talker, otherwise he would be able to state with all certainty that he would be followed. No one would pass such an opportunity for entertainment before long boring hours of walking in the woods. Unfortunately for the elf, other's personal life seemed to be one of the best sources of entertainments and gossips in an adventuring group.

The path in the direction the bounty hunter pointed was wild and full of spiky shrubs Xan's robes had a tendency to get tangled in. Were he be looking for anybody else there he'd have some serious qualms about why would anyone choose such a unwelcoming part of the forest to have a walk, but Daria's visions often led her into the paths hidden and to other's sight, so the enchanter pressed on, hoping that his friend was not far away from the camp and hadn't strayed from the path. He wasn't much of a ranger when it came to finding a trail regrettably.

He saw a speck of light on the forest floor ahead of him, signaling that he's coming close to a clearing of some sort. He slowed his pace suspecting that it was the aim of Daria's trip. He didn't expect to catch her off-guard, she was a diviner after all, but he tried to be quiet when advancing through the bushes nonetheless, not to interrupt whatever she was doing.

He guessed correctly - she was there on the glade, sitting on the grass among thousands of blow-balls, the clearing full of white dandelions. She was raising a single flower in her both hands without the gloves. He watched silently as she raised it close to her face, a graceful and somewhat solemn movement. He felt as if looking at something he shouldn't see, a private ceremony, like a most distant memory from the childhood treasured in one's mind. Daria stopped for a second with her both palms holding the flexible stem, and he almost saw the silver under her half-closed eyelids, revealing his presence to her, despite that he stood too far to see the faint glow on the sunny glade.

And then she exhaled, sending a veil of white fluff dancing in the air. Xan's gaze followed the light seeds until they completely disappeared either taken with the wind or hidden among the grass blades. When he turned his eyes towards the sun elf again she was looking back at him, smiling. His knees felt strangely unstable at the sight of this smile.

"Jaheira's little spy already found me." Daria looked at a blackbird sitting on her shoulder. "Or did she send you to cheer me up?" she giggled, addressing the bird. "Go to my friend there, then. He is in need of cheering much more than me".

Her lips moved and she must have said something, but he missed it too absorbed by looking at her slightly flushed face, the way the sunlight was glittering in her hair making her face lit with almost unearthly glow. Only when she patted the grass next to her he realized it was an invitation. He came to her and sat down slowly, unable to avert his gaze from her. Knowing how impolite and possibly distracting it was didn't help even a little bit. Knowing that she probably was in love and definitely not with him was even worse.

"Do I have something on my nose?" she asked, her teasing grin only becoming wider.

"I only came to check if everything is alright." Years of training concentration in Academy of Evereska were helpful in finally lowering his eyes to the ground. If only he had lessons from slowing down the beat of his heart... It was thumping so loudly in his chest that he thought it impossible that she didn't hear it yet. He focused his attention on a white blow-ball moving back and forth with the gentle gusts of wind.

"I only took a small walk" Daria purposefully picked the flower he was watching so intensely. He once again found himself looking at her when his eyes involuntarily followed it up. "I needed to refresh myself." She handed him the blow-ball.

He took it in his hand. If only he could be the one she fell in love with…

He sighed, a bit too deeply, because he sent the fluff flying once again, this time straight in her face and hair, tickling and making her laugh out loudly, the sound his he was longing to hear for so long, making something strange happen with his chest, like if his heart was going to explode in what he would call true happiness, if he believed something like that could ever exist.

He loved her. It was as simple and as complicated as that. She might not return his feelings, he might watch her die tomorrow, or even today, they may go their separate ways and never meet again, but he loved her. He never thought such a warm feeling could be that uncaring for the future. He could call it friendship and pretend all he wanted till the end of his life, but it didn't change the fact that now, this moment, this second, he loved her, he desired her with all his heart. He was lost in this feeling, doomed by its warmth in the pointless yearning that made him feel more alive than he truly was. He had nothing left to do but give up, despite every ounce of common sense he had screaming at him not to do so. As if he had any other choice left.

"Not this time! I won't be alone to laugh!" she caught him with all his defenses down, snaking her way to his unprotected sides paying him back tenfold tickling and laughing at the same time. He couldn't stop his own laugher joining hers as her fingers began to dance on his skin diving into folds of his robes.

"N-no! Stop! I give up! I give up!" he tried to call laughing, but that made her only redouble her efforts as they fell among the grass sending a cloud of white blow-balls up the sky.

Neither laughing nor smirking anymore, Yoshimo stood nearby, hidden in a shadow of a tree, watching the antics of both elves unseen. The usual nonchalant grin was replaced by an unusual look of anxiety. It was never easy to realize that the people one was sent to betray could fall in love just as any other.


	26. Nature's Ways

„**Nature's Ways"**

„Fall defilers of nature! Faldorn and the Shadow Druids will put an end to your transgressions!" A man in dirty rags leaped at them from the shadow of trees, slashing a scimitar in the team's direction.

"Which one is this? Fifth? Sixth?" Daria brushed off the dust from her hands demonstratively, after serving the mad druid an Agannazar's Scorcher. She ended the words of the spell the exact moment the madman shot from his cover to attack them, evoking a line of fire just before the dashing man. Unfortunately for him he didn't manage to stop on time. "And who is this Faldorn anyway?"

"We met her briefly in the Cloakwood, no wonder you don't remember." Jaheira from the rear guard answered. Cernd only shook his head unknowingly.

'Yes, no wonder I don't remember' Daria repeated bitterly in her mind. There were other reasons why she wouldn't.

"We were trying to reach the mines to cut off Sarevok's supplies of iron and she wanted to stop us from reaching them, saying we're a 'fault' in nature's eyes". Jaheira rolled her eyes. All others suddenly tried to avoid eye contact. The phrase was somewhat familiar, even though they never met Faldorn. "You do remember Sarevok, right?" she added sarcastically.

"Ah, yes. Sarevok, the mage directing the mine from the lower levels. Of course I do."

Jaheira stopped suddenly. Minsc, walking alongside the elf looked at her puzzled.

Daria sweated seeing the druidess approaching her, looking like an angry mountain. She must have made a mistake… Who was Sarevok? She strained her memory trying to figure it out, before Jaheira made this final step. She should have left the question unanswered! It was just a figure of speech!

"I was just joking! Can't I?" she tried to buy herself some time.

"Then who was Sarevok?" Jaheira's eyes could power up the Sphere with the lightings they seemed to dart. It could spare them the demon hunting.

Daria heard this name before, she was certain, but 'where?' remained a question. She only had one option left. She covered her face with a hand fleetingly as if blinded with a sun and tried to divine. One glimpse was more than enough. Sarevok! How could she forget?! Jaheira's hand darted to grab her ward's and uncover the silver glow, exposing her little scheme.

"You don't remember, do you?" the druidess asked astounded. Daria saw a reproach for hiding holes in her memory dashing in her direction through time.

"I do. Sarevok, my mad half-brother."

Cernd watched the exchange between the druidess and her ward with a puzzled expression, as well as Mazzy, but all others were worrying from the safe distance from the druidess. Valygar's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Why didn't you tell anybody you still have problems with memory?!" Jaheira glanced around the group as if provoking someone to admit he or she knew about it.

"Tell what, Jaheira?" Daria got genuinely mad. "'Sorry guys, I don't remember Sarevok?' It's getting better now and it will pass without anyone's help!"

"You don't know that!"

"I do! I'm a damned diviner! I know everything!" Daria wretched her hand free and began to walk, leaving the group behind. What was left of her common sense, made her check the bushes for any other shadow druid fanatics.

"Daria, wait" Xan caught up to her. They didn't talk since the time they came back from the clearing, both flushed deeply and covered with white fluff and grass. She smiled at the memory of them, trying to pick out all the fuzz from each other's hair. He immediately blushed, guessing without fail what was she thinking about.

"Lady Daria!" Anomen was just behind him, a bit slower in his full plate. Now she had her own honorary guard.

"You truly don't remember anything?" Xan put a hand on her shoulder. For a moment something in her wanted him to hold her, but she shook it off, knowing that probability that Xan would do it from his own initiative was small to none. At least unless she was in near-death state, but then it wasn't that pleasant.

"I remember a lot. The most, I think. Only some problems with names and places aren't worth mentioning, really. I certainly remember how Imoen tried to dye your hair pink" she giggled. A bit of a distraction was in order to change the topic.

"My lady, it would be wise to inform somebody about your condition." Anomen wasn't into distractions it seemed. He was the first person Daria encountered that wasn't even curious if Imoen succeeded. Even Kivan couldn't pass to hear the rest of the story. But now that the mood was a bit lighter she could disregard the whole issue.

"It's not that much of a problem, really. I'm a diviner, I said that already. If I don't recall something I can check it in less than five seconds. In some aspects I have much better memory than you."

"But…" Anomen tried again.

"I appreciate your concern, but that's not that serious as Jaheira want it to sound. And we should wait for the rest of the team. There's a group of druids ahead, standing by the entrance to a cave where Faldorn resides."

***

The cave wasn't dark or damp, which was more than unusual given a miniature underground river flowing right through its middle. It wasn't a great cavern, but big enough for a fanatic branch of pseudo nature protectors to form a sect trying to destroy a small town. Ahead of them a small alcove opened, but the major space of the cave was located to their left, running water separating them from…

A vision interrupted Daria's examination of the place. All around her the aura seemed different suddenly, though she couldn't put her finger on what exactly differed. The river, the cave, the alcove… The vision was unusual, like if she was looking not with her eyes, but instead tried to use her ears to see, making her head feel like overloaded factory where nobody knew what to do. Her companions weren't by her side, which wasn't unusual, but _she_ wasn't there either, which was at least mildly strange. Most of the time her mind was creating image of her own self as a personalization of her wandering psyche. She couldn't think of any reason of why it wouldn't happen now.

But thinking never helped. Analyzing her visions was best to be left until the awakening. It was a lesson she learned in practice.

She saw two elves, lying in the alcove on a fur placed on the bare stone. It was some distance ahead of her, but her visions were known of doing strange things with time and space and Daria could see every little detail of their faces. A woman with unusual hair shade, a strange tone of blonde looking almost like gray, was sleeping or in a reverie, with her eyes closed. She had eagle feathers interlaced in her a bit messy hair, indicating that she might be a druid, and a content peaceful smile on her lips. It was also the only thing she was wearing. The man holding her was Xan, and Daria could see that he was in love with the woman lying next to him the moment she saw him. Not only because the only thing covering their bare skins was a rugged blanket. Not only because he was idly playing with locks of hair that fallen on her face. Not only because he held her so close, that made the diviner blush, as if she watched something she shouldn't, which was definitely the case. He looked at her like Daria never saw him look at anyone, with gentle devotion and admiration, a smile on his face. He was happy.

Daria staggered backward, landing on her rear end. Her world has just changed quite drastically to the present. Were she in a mood for jests, she'd say she just created a ripple in reality.

"I presume you know the outcome of the battle already?" Jaheira helped her up offering a hand. Daria managed to stay on her feet for good two seconds before landing on the ground again.

"No, I…" By the time she was helped up again everybody knew it was something more serious. Minsc moved to give her support. "Xan, have you ever been here?" she asked. How much depended on this question?

"I crossed Trademeet few years ago, during one of my missions, but never visited this grove, no." He didn't ask why she wanted to know. From her face he saw she wouldn't tell.

So it was the future.

"Jaheira, you're a temporary leader now. Minsc, could you take me outside?" Daria knew she was in no state to lead. The vision was the future and a distant one judging by the trembling of her hands and chaos in her head. She needed to get some air before she starts bleeding or fainting, or other some such nonsense again.

"Of course little Daria! But why do we leave our friends before the battle with evil druids?"

"I can't explain… I need to go out" The cave walls were beginning to close around her, signaling another attack of claustrophobia. She closed her eyes desperately trying to imagine a clearing full of flowers.

"My lady…"

"Faldorn is coming" Daria cut sharply.

Minsc led her out to the sun, mostly hidden behind the clouds. She sat on the grass and tried to confirm that all parts of her mind were in the same time using one of the meditation methods she learned in Candlekeep, more in need to focus on something than out of real need. The berserker stood guard, giving her space to think. She didn't know what to do with this space.

Gooseberry stirred in his pocket sensing his mistress emotions and got out on the sun. Daria huddled to her familiar, pressing the short-furred rat to her chest.

She liked people with bright future ahead of them, she liked to watch Anomen when he was talking about his order and she liked discovering happy events in her friends' futures. But she was different, she knew it. They would have their loves and homes, Anomen would get accepted in the order and Xan would find happiness in life. Jaheira, Minsc, Yoshimo… They would settle down or do as they please… She would keep them safe as much as she could.

She was stuck with sowing chaos, bringing death and destruction across the realms…

It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair! It wasn't fair that her destiny was set from the moment she was born. It wasn't fair that people like Irenicus were chasing her only because of her blood and hurt her loved ones only because they were near. It wasn't fair that it would only end with her death. And…

It wasn't fair that Xan couldn't be happy with her.

Gooseberry bit her finger when she squeezed him a bit too much. She released him from her grasp, but he only climbed on her shoulder and rubbed against her face. His regrowing fur was soft and soothing. It reminded her that there was one being in this world she could tell everything.

Sometimes she dreamt about Xan, holding her hand, hearing her out and accepting her feelings. Long time ago, when Gorion was still alive, she used to dream about her mysterious father coming to Candlekeep, telling her that he had to leave her under Gorion's care because there was no other way and that he missed her and her mother every minute of his life. Both dreams turned out to be equally foolish and unreal.

But… She was a diviner. By knowing the future maybe she could change it. The course they all were on was leading to the events she saw in her vision. The ability to see the causes meant she could… destroy her best friend's happiness out of completely egotistical reasons without him ever finding out about it. It was plainly evil. And she wanted to be able to do it so much that it hurt. Only she couldn't… The memory of that smile on his face hurt much more.

Gooseberry was huddled to her neck like a scarf. He felt what she felt and knew what she knew. He was becoming more and more elf-like every day and his new fur wasn't gray as before. She suspected it wasn't soup that made him lose his fur in the first place like Jaheira claimed with reproach, but instead he was knowingly changing his appearance. She could feel his mute support and that he would go with her no matter what she decided.

Daria wiped the tears from her eyes and stood up. The destiny was there to challenge it, but for once she wasn't going to do it. If it was her place than she would stay alone, but at least she could do it quietly, without anyone's pity. A quick illusion ensured her that no trace of tears would be visible on her face.

Xan was her best friend. She could only repay him with the same.

***

The party perched on one side of the circular arena that served as a place for challenge rituals to take place. From the other side all that was left of the sect of the shadow druids was glaring at them.

"Come to meet your death!" Faldorn standing in one end of the arena began the ritual, not quite in accordance with tradition.

Two simple wooden quarterstaffs were thrown to the middle of arena, but Jaheira didn't even move in their direction, instantly beginning to chant. It was her element, the heart of the forest and though she didn't have a close connection with the grove like her opponent, the balance was her ally in this conflict.

Faldorn stood ahead summoning forth the energies of the grove to shield her from any wounds. She smirked knowing that the challenger didn't have that advantage. The shadow druid fruitlessly tried to find any sign of fear in the half-elven druidess posture, but the only emotion Jaheira showed was cold anger at the discord the shadow druids and their dark rituals ripping the energies from the Mother Nature wrought.

Bees and ants, cockroaches and fleas, all sort of bugs began to gather at Jaheira's call, crawling under shadow druid's clothes, craving to bite into her skin. Faldorn quickly suppressed the panic and began her own chant, but casting spells from under the layer of constantly biting insects proved impossible. By the time the magic finally got loose from her control, dispersing harmlessly in the air, Jaheira already was through with a second chant, summoning one more creature to her aid.

A dryad answered her call, appearing in the cave with a battle cry that would put Minsc to shame, even though shouted with a low and feminine voice. Now Faldorn had to face two spellcasters.

A fiery sword was the last of Jaheira's enchantments and she barely managed to finish it when Faldorn moved to attack, almost brushing her enemy's face with the wooden staff she picked from the ground in one fierce movement. The shadow druidess attacked with ferociousness of a wildest animal, knowing that if she gives Jaheira enough time to use her burning weapon it would put her in most dire situation. She swung and swirled, putting all her strength into her blows, without consideration, losing herself in her fury. The grove energies were adding to her muscles and her fury. She was invincible!

The dryad's charm hit her, paralyzing for a briefest second Jaheira needed to use her sword, hitting Faldorn in her face.

"You were a fault in nature's eyes! These parasitic rituals will not continue!" Jaheira wheezed, sweated and panting after the exchange of blows. She looked up just in time to see the last of the shadow druids disappearing in other the exit of the cave. They could cause more trouble in the area, but it was unlikely with their leader gone. Neither Daria nor Imoen were in the cave, so she received no cheers from the other side of the arena. She let her weapon extinguish and nodded to the dryad, thanking her for help. The forest creature smiled bizarrely and disappeared.

Daria waited by the entrance, once again in her hood and gloves. She looked in upcoming future, at Jaheira, who had just won against Faldorn, and at Cernd who stayed in the cave to talk to the druids taking care of the grove before it was taken by the sect, and who were forced to accept Faldorn as their leader. Looking through the stone or few seconds before or ahead in time the diviner could do almost effortlessly, but now her heart hurt strangely and her vision was blurry.

Minsc was standing beside her, but only let Boo sniff her for a moment before leaving her alone. Now they stood in silence, disturbed only by the hamster's quiet squeaks. Daria counted seconds under breath.

"I see you are better. What was the vision about?" Jaheira came out of the cave when the count ended, along with the rest of the team.

"Future. Distant. The kind I won't talk about" the diviner answered calmly without any trace of emotion.

Jaheira looked at her worried. She was used to Daria evading the answers, but she never said so calmly that she wouldn't say a thing.

"We have to go. It's getting late" Daria hurried them, just as calmly as before.

Jaheira watched her concerned as she moved ahead to lead her party minus Cernd back to Trademeet.


	27. Don't We All Have Scars?

"**Don't We All Have Scars?"**

Of course they had to enter a small lone house in the middle of nowhere, because no sane, or maybe rather no typical adventurer would pass an occasion to explore such a place. As they entered the shaggy hut Daria moved ahead to talk with its owner barely sparing a look at the insides of the house. If she wasn't that detached as she was, musing over her latest vision, she'd notice earlier than standing few steps from it, that she was facing a tall humanoid with head of a tiger and talons longer than the her fingers. She flinched as the creature addressed her.

"Can I help you with anything, lass?" yellow eyes in the tiger's head glanced malevolently at Daria. She gulped loudly and rubbed her eyes to make sure what she sees it's real.

"I… well… I, er…" Looking a bit more carefully Daria noticed what left her companions standing right behind her unalarmed by the monster's appearance. There was an image of an elderly woman with gray hair in a tight bun and garland of herbs in her hand glimmering faintly before the tiger-thing.

"Is everything alright?" The voice of the creature was also changed to resemble a frail and good-mannered old herbalist. Daria pitied it didn't work on her and she had to listen to low murmurs and hisses imitating the common language, rising hair on her neck. She felt Gooseberry curling in fear in a pocket of her robes. His little claws pinched her skin through the robe.

"Yes, right. All is right. We better go." The diviner unsuccessfully tried to move her stare from knife-sharp talons gathering her deepest reserve of free will to leave the hut.

"You will go nowhere" a harmless pleasant gibberish turned into a threatening growl instantly after Daria made first step back. The elf should have realized that staring at tiger's yellow eyes, when the image of a woman was at least a foot shorter, was going to betray that she saw through the masquerade. The monster tore through the illusion like through a paper picture, leaping at the diviner with agility of a hunting cat, only to bounce harmlessly from her stoneskin.

"Team, attack!" Daria shouted, moving from the creature's way, letting Minsc block it with his two-handed sword. Lilarcor the Sword squealed happily. The others needed a bit more time to get over the shock of a normal-looking woman changing into a monster before their very eyes, but adventurers' impulses quickly took over. Jaheira and Valygar moved to help the large Rashemi, leaving Xan and Yoshimo without cover, while Anomen began to chant, summoning forth a blessing of his god. It was the first mistake. Unfortunately the first mistake didn't need the second or third to be lethal.

Two more monsters with tiger's heads jumped from their hideouts, unforeseen by Daria. Yoshimo fell with a long slash at his back, but gave Xan a second he needed to draw out his Moonblade. Mazzy appeared by his side.

Two monsters didn't give the pair any time to prepare, attacking with ferocious fury using longswords they held in their paws. The strength of the monster was sending numbness up Xan's arm each time he blocked a blow and he knew he wouldn't be able to stand up to it for long. His opponent was faster than him and though the difference wasn't significant as long as it used a sword Xan had no delusions about being able to dodge, once the monster decides to shorten the distance and make use of its claws. He hoped Mazzy was faring better than him, but in the swirl of dodges and retreating he couldn't risk a moment of distraction to check if help was coming.

And suddenly the monster moved ahead, shoving his Moonblade out of his hand and pushing him with its shoulder on the wall. Xan only managed to see a paw with talon-like claws moving like a lightning in the direction of his face, with his body far too slow to react against such reflex. Even his eyelids were too slow and he didn't manage to close his eyes before the world exploded in pain. He landed on his knees, unable to see anything anymore. All he had left to do was to wait for the final blow to fall.

A loud shout and crash of a humanoid smashing into a wall after being hit with magic of Ring of the Ram echoed to his left, but he couldn't see what was happening. His world was reduced to clinking of metal hitting metal, a feeling of hot liquid covering his face and great part of horrible pain.

"Jaheira, heal him!" Daria's piercing voice rose above the battlefield. "Valygar cover them! Anomen leave this flail and get to healing! And help Mazzy with Yoshimo!" Xan was barely conscious of the commands, slowly losing to the numbness dragging him down.

"By all divines, Xan say something, anything… please…" The elf came around hearing a voice by his ear. The pain lessened somewhat, but he still couldn't see a thing.

"What is the point? I'm already a dead man" he murmured, wanting only for pain to go away.

Hysteria must have reached its peak, because he heard Daria burst into desperate laughter, ending with hiccups. He considered trying to move, but since he was about to die in few seconds anyway, what was the point?

He was carried outside, someone's metal gauntlets cutting into his armpits, someone else lifting his knees from the ground. He felt warmth on his face, indicating that the sun was now shining on him or, more likely, that he was getting feverish. He couldn't see the light.

"Put him down carefully" Jaheira ordered to who was carrying him. He felt a blanket under him when he was carefully placed on the ground. The scent of the grass was proving that he was indeed outside. At least he could die in the fresh air now.

"Set the camp and let me and Anomen work." It was the last thing Xan heard.

The rest faded away.

***

Xan woke up. Or maybe he didn't. It was hard to decide without being able to see a single thing. The pain was completely gone at least. For a moment he considered if he wasn't a part of his Moonblade already, imprisoned for a large part of eternity inside the enchanted weapon, but he suspected he wouldn't be able to feel the smell of the marsh if that was the case.

He tried to use his hearing to find out where exactly he was. A fireplace was scorching, accompanied by the sounds of the swamp. A nightingale was singing in the distance and wind danced to the tune among the leaves of the high trees of the grove. A lone camp among the trees was a likely possibility. He moved his hand to touch something covering his face tightly.

"Don't take it off yet" a soft and quiet voice sounded to his left. A gloved hand entwined with his fingers and led his hand back to his side, but not before he could feel the surface of a bandage covering his eyes.

"Daria?" All he could hear was the voice and it sounded strangely hoarse.

"I'm sorry. I screwed up again… It was a rakshasa. I saw through the illusion, but didn't realize what it was… I never saw a rakshasa before…" He knew with all certainty that she was crying, even though he couldn't see or hear it. Sitting by his bedroll with tears in her eyes… it couldn't be a sign of anything good.

"How bad it is?" He asked, though he honestly didn't want to know.

"Anomen and Jaheira healed everything. Your eye was damaged badly, but they said… they said it would be fine by tomorrow." Daria's voice shook and quivered, but she tried to mask it awkwardly, speaking as quietly as she could. He tried to find her hand again.

"I'm sorry." She slipped her hand into his. It was shaking as badly as her voice. "Jaheira will take the bandages off in the morning and then we'll take care of the scars."

Scars. Perfect. An enchanter with scars on his face. He was getting tired of fate's newest offers of how to make his life even more miserable.

"My lady…" Xan groaned hearing the voice. "…you've been sitting here for half of the night. Perhaps you should rest?" Anomen put an effort of keeping his voice down. Xan couldn't guess why, since his heavy steps could be heard from a distance of a mile.

"Elves don't need that much sleep, Ano." Daria explained. 'So, it was 'Ano' now…' "And Xan is awake".

"Then you shouldn't keep him from his rest, my lady." Xan felt somehow missed out in this conversation. "I'll send lady Mazzy to sit by him."

"It's…" Xan wouldn't say it was all right, would he? He sighed and continued. "Go get some rest."

Daria might have nodded. It was strange to be deprived of his sight, and undeniably unpleasant. She squeezed his hand before releasing it.

"Don't worry, my lady. I shall watch over you" Anomen said in a distance of few loud steps from where he heard him before.

Xan tried not to think of how it frustrated him.

***

He groaned looking into water surface. Three sharp cuts of rakshasa's claws left ragged parallel scars, the longest ending by his right eye. He tried to ignore it, washing blood from his face, but they were hard not to notice. He most certainly felt them even while blinking. The most basic tool of every enchanter was his appearance and now he could only pass for a necromancer. It would take years for scars to fade.

"Gloomy thoughts again. At least for that you shouldn't worry, scars can be fixed. Turn around." Daria stood behind him for some time it seemed. Or she could just guess what his thinking about, not that it was excessively difficult given his grimace. She held an opened jar in her hands, with the same green balm Jaheira prepared to heal her scar. Xan wrinkled his nose when the smell reached him.

"Are you sure it would work? It was a burn mark on your face."

"Pfeh. It worked with all others just as well, even the whip scars and they were much worse these little scratches. Two doses and you'll be as good as new. Close your eye."

She began to rub the balm into his skin when he cautiously obeyed. She took of her gloves and he could see that her fingers were treated the medicine as well, looking better than the last time Daria revealed them. It made him feel better not only because it ensured that Jaheira's balm was working.

"It may sting a little bit. And it will stink a lot." Daria's fingers were massaging his skin. He closed the other eye as well, focusing on her touch.

"Done." It ended quicker than he hoped, but then again, why would she sit with him all day?

"It will harden in few minutes and after half an hour it should crumble. You'll just have to walk with a green patch for a mile or two."

"Thank you. And Daria… Please, don't blame yourself for such things. We are adventurers after all, in case you managed to forget already. It's a small miracle we are still alive."

"I know. And don't worry, I won't start divining all the time again. I promised myself that I'll reach Imoen alive. I was just… scared out of my wits." She threw him a disarming smile.

"I know the feeling" Xan answered sourly.

***

The djinis tent wasn't hard to locate. It stood on a fairground outside the town, currently more resembling a puddle of mud after a recent rain that left the entire party soaked wet. The field must have been filled with other stands and pavilions before, with colorful banners making it look like an everyday carnival. Now only single tent remained - the place where the djinis harassing Trademeet dwelled. Only now, walking among the no longer present stands, Daria realized how desolate the town became.

"Fresh fish! Get your fresh fish here!" The diviner jumped as someone shouted straight into her ear, but the mirage faded back to its past or future before she could see who was shouting.

"Is everything alright, my lady?" She heard Anomen would ask in two seconds.

"Just a vision. Nothing important. I think I'm a bit over-sensitive here" she answered automatically before realizing her mistake. "You haven't asked yet, have you?"

"I haven't, my lady. But I was meaning to." Anomen gave her a formal bow.

"Perhaps you'd rather stay outside?" Xan almost sounded jealous for the attention Daria was receiving from Anomen. 'Xan jealous of me. Now that is funny' she thought bitterly. Somehow she didn't feel like laughing.

"My lady! Please allow me to accompany you in the tent." Anomen reacted before she could answer. He seemed quite eager not to leave her side even for a second.

If she agreed Jaheira would start considering what to buy for a wedding gift for them, but now that he offered to go in with her she couldn't choose anyone else without offending the proud squire. And for all divines! He was her friend. She wasn't going to avoid him only because Jaheira had a bad nose for romantics.

"The tent is small, so the rest – you'll have to stay outside. It should go smoothly."

"What should go smoothly adventurer? Or should I say… customer?" was the first thing Chan Zahraa, the Dao djini asked when Daria and Anomen entered his little kingdom. The djini made himself comfortable on the pile of cushions, surrounded with all the splendor he managed to buy off from Trademeet. He looked almost like a human, an exotic human, except from an azure shade of his skin and his smile. No human could smile like that.

"This" Daria took out a severed rakshasa's head from her pack. It left bloodstains inside, but at least it wasn't beating. Gooseberry permanently moved to one of the pockets in her cloak, having enough of such mess in his abode. Even a rat ought to have some standards.

"Now that's a surprise! Our dear Ihtafeer found her way to us at last!" Chan Zahraa grinned showing a line of bluish teeth.

"I take it you will leave now?"

"Of course, brave mortal. We have no intention to stay on your little plane, pleasurable as it is. And a prize for your good work" Chan Zahraa took his scimitar with one rapid movement and handed it to Daria, handle first. Anomen flinched and began to draw his flail, but his movements were foppish in comparison to djinis.

Daria's eyes silvered a moment before the 'attack' and she gracefully accepted the weapon. The djini sent her a broad blue smile.

"Come, my Dao. It's time for us to return home." He turned to two other djinis. In a spectacular puff of white smoke, they returned back wherever they came from.

"Arrogant creature!" Anomen muttered to himself and then turned to Daria. The frown immediately disappeared from his face. "My lady, seizing an opportunity that we're alone for a moment, I'd like to express how honored I am to be in your party. In all my years as a squire I never accomplished that much goodness and brought that amount of safety to the realms."

Great. And Jaheira was only a layer of fabric away. She was probably wondering how they would name their firstborn child. Was it that hard to comprehend that they were just friends?!

"Even killing a wyvern single-handed wasn't that glorious?" Daria sent the squire a smile, deluding herself silently, that maybe Jaheira and anyone else would have enough tact not to eavesdrop.

"I… might have exaggerated a little with the wyvern, my lady" Anomen blushed profusely. She grinned and patted him on his armored shoulder. "But, my lady, what I mean to say is, that I'm truly fortunate to be in your company and not only because of the matters of goodness."

"W-what do you mean?" Did he just hint that…? It couldn't be. It couldn't be that she was the blind one, that Jaheira was right. But he said she was like a sister to him!

"I would like to repay you somehow for your kindness, my lady. There's something I'd like to talk to you about later. In private, if you don't mind." Anomen obviously hinted, smiling back at her.

"We should join the others." Daria just stated listlessly.

"What took you so long?" Jaheira stood with the rest of the team away from the tent, but Daria would bet her right hand that the druidess heard every single word spoken inside. Xan was sending her fugitive glances and Yoshimo openly smirked, so the druidess most probably wasn't eavesdropping alone.

"The djinis are gone. We should go and inform the mayor." She had enough of this situation. One could think that informing the mayor that his city wasn't going to starve was a touch more important.

***

No stones were thrown at them anymore, what was a pleasant change of situation, but an official celebration in their honor was more than they expected. The crowd's favor was changing quickly, it was no surprise. Daria recognized few people from the crowd who was chasing them only a day ago, now cheering them as they walked through the city and her visions pointed few others who thrown stones at them now smiling openly at the new heroes. She was only a step away from very cynical thoughts about humankind. A very small step.

The party was given a day off, or at least half a day, since it was already well after noon, and Daria hurried to fulfill one rash promise she made. All their things were left in the inn, where they received the best rooms, free of charge again, while the rest party scurried to take care of their business, mostly repairing equipment and making provisions for themselves in shops, opening one after another.

The diviner looked at herself in a mirror. It might have not been a best idea to ask for a most classy, fashionable and what seemed to be naturally consequential - revealing dress the seamstress had. She promised herself that if she gets rid of all scars she would buy such outfit, but she was beginning to realize that smooth skin wasn't all. She had the money to buy of course. The mayor, Lord Logan Coprith was quite generous after they proved that his town is free of any dangers, both military and economic, but she had to admit with shame that she didn't have anything to 'fill' the dress with. She wasn't as skinny as after leaving the dungeon, and her ribs weren't looking as if they were going to tear through her skin at a deeper breath, but she still lacked some weight. And some flesh in places she should have it as a woman, she had to admit, blushing. The halfling seamstress had a hard time finding something to match her lack of figure.

And the effect was… Daria knew how a revealing dress should look like… in Baldur's Gate. In Amn, many miles to the south, where sun shone throughout most of the year, limits for revealing were practically nonexistent. The dress was revealing more than Daria actually had. Should a neckline really have to end only an inch above the navel? And a high cut skirt shouldn't be cut in a half, should it? She hoped she would never have to travel to Calimshan.

'Why am I doing this?' It was a valid question. And she didn't have a reasonable answer.

But she had to admit that the dress was pretty. Cream white and with golden ornaments, matching her brown skin nicely. If only there was more of the fabric… And more of the elf inside it…

She felt gazes of people following her as she walked through the city back to the inn. Strangers were cheering and greeting her as a new hero of Trademeet, but she couldn't get rid of the feeling that no man was looking in her eyes. The chill was making her shiver, since her skin was unused to the lack of thick black robe covering it from the general weather. Her doubts about the point of it all resurfaced again.

'And now the inn…' She gulped and tried to appear confident. 'Straighten your back, don't look at the ground and _don't blush_' these were the basic lessons of acting like a lady Phylda gave her back in Candlekeep. She entered.

She was immediately stunned by the cheers and some whistles as well. The barman served a round in her name and she was pulled inside. All the way to a table where she expected to meet her party, she was patted in her back and almost couldn't free her hands from one handshake to another. At least she could divine where her friends gathered and didn't have to circle the common room. She doubted her spine would survive that intact.

"Child, what are you wearing? And where's the rest of it?" Jaheira greeted her, as always happy to see her.

"Look Boo! Daria has a new dress! It's good because the previous one smelled with demons!" Minsc comment wasn't exactly tactful, even though completely true. At least Daria's old robes could stink all they wanted now… on the junk heap.

"It's a… very beautiful dress, my lady." Anomen valiantly tried to steady his eyes at her face.

Xan just looked at her. And then his eyes fell lower. And then lower. And then even lower. His gaze hit the ground almost with a thump. He tried to keep it in there.

'So Xan isn't actually made of stone under this controlled façade.' An evil grin curled Daria's lips. She felt strange looking at him, knowing what she knew, but she would tease him were the circumstances normal, wouldn't she?

"So you like my new sandals, mellonamin?" she asked innocently.

"No! …I mean yes." Xan was now beginning to sweat. He didn't know what awaited him yet.

Daria moved closer, so very close, and reached to straighten a fold on his robes. His eyes fell where they should.

"Maybe you could use new robes as well?" she asked, stiffening the collar of Xan's purple shirt. He appeared to be fighting for control over his actions, but she broke through all resistance like a ram. His lips were trying to form any sort of answer, but no voice came out.

She left him heavily traumatized, red and embarrassed, and turned to the rest of the party. Her precognition failed this time and she yelped in pain when Jaheira caught her pointy ear and began to drag her towards the kitchen door.

"What do you think you're doing?!" The druidess shouted once they were outside.

"But… Jaheira, my ear!" The ear was mercifully released and Daria took few steps away from the druidess, looking at her with the eyes full of failed trust.

"I didn't make you this salve to make such a circus from yourself! Do you think what you did was funny? You're a woman Daria, not a child anymore. Your looks work on men, but using them to manipulate… Consider other's emotions!"

"I was only…"

"Having fun?! You think it was funny?"

"I… I'm sorry…"

"It's not me you should apologize to." Jaheira turned at her heel, disappearing back in the inn, leaving her distraught ward alone.

It was meant to be only a little tease… to be close to him for a short moment. No, it wasn't the reason, at least not the only one. Truth was that she didn't know how to behave. Xan might be married in the future… kind of. It was complicated. She knew she should stay away. And she couldn't.

She sighed deeply. It was so complicated… Future was complicated. All the consequences, causes and the links between them… Trying to figure it out tired her long time ago. What was the point of doing something what had no point? Then again the pointless actions led to the functional ones, but that itself didn't necessarily give them any sense… But she had to apologize to Xan at least. It would be enough for now.

A vision came in time with a ready solution, making a smile appear on her face once more. Daria checked how much money she had left on her and began to march in a direction of a part of the town where she thought the shop she saw was. It wasn't there unfortunately, but after additional wandering around she finally located a small armory, where the item of her search was hidden.

She found it after leafing through almost entire shop under astounded supervision of a shop keeper. Xan's robe of Archmage, the old thing with vine stains from the nightly libation he had with Kivan in Cloakwood, torn on more than occasion, and washed after a close encounter with more than one ogre, gibberling and kobold, but warded with the most complicated defense magic she ever set her eyes upon. The fabric was covered with dust of many miles on the road, but for a trained watcher magic runes were as evident as the Sun on the sky. Now she only had to haggle. If she'd play it right, she wouldn't even have to pay for the extensive cleaning attempts wrought upon the set of robes.

"This robe belonged to my friend and was stolen from him in Athkatla." Daria took a threatening pose she picked from Jaheira. "Care to explain how did it get here?"

"I'm sorry, I had no choice! You have to understand… Please forgive me!" She didn't have to put much pressure, for the trader instantly began to cry, falling to his knees. "My family was starving, my children were hungry and we were going bankrupt! I had to make a contract with the Shadow Thieves! I had no choice, believe me!"

Now that was embarrassing. The man indeed was working with the Shadow Thieves as she saw, and his family was indeed starving, what she saw as well. And he was crying on his knees now, what she saw even though in this case she didn't have to use any divination.

"Alright, fine. How much do you need?" Haggling was out of question it seemed.

"Five thousand gold… I don't want the Shadow Thieves to hurt my family…"

A contract with the Shadow Thieves… A candle lit in Daria's head. She heard about them… A powerful illegal organization, gathering pickpockets and cutthroats, burglars, fences, assassins and spies. They were said to be the most powerful organization of Amn and beyond, more powerful than the government, more powerful than the Cowled Wizards… All-knowing guild with spies and informants behind every corner. A localization of secret prison for detained for illegal use of magic couldn't be much of a secret for them. Shadow Thieves would be able to tell her where Imoen was… if she could afford it.

"I need you to arrange a meeting with the thieves for me."

The shop keeper stopped crying and looked at her startled.

"You heard me right. Just pass the message that I have an offer for them they might find lucrative. I will come here tomorrow at noon for their answer. And I'm taking this with me." Daria took Xan's robe from the counter, seeing pearls of sweat appearing on the trader's brow. She threw him one of her purses with exactly five thousand gold pieces in it before she left.

Happiness was like wings, lifting her from the ground of mundane. Her vision was right! She found a way to rescue Imoen and that _must_ have meant that she was on the right path. She hurried back to the inn, following the noise of the loud celebration. Searching for the robe took her longer than she though, judging by the stage of drunkenness most celebrants were showing. After short consideration she decided to slip through the back door.

"Child, where have you been?" Jaheira of course had to be the first person Daria bumped into in the back of the common room. "I've sent Anomen to look for you an hour ago!"

"Where is Xan?!" The sun elf tried to shout through the racket of music and singing of the common room with her meager voice. Jaheira only pointed upstairs. Even she wasn't able to give reproaches in such conditions. She watched her ward climbing the stairs clutching something purple in her both hands.

The noise was a bit quieter upstairs, but Daria knew that it wasn't quiet enough for anyone to sleep, especially for an elf, so she had no qualms to knocking on the doors where she thought Xan resided.

"Come in… if you really have to." A somber voice from inside the room confirmed her suspicions to its resident.

"I have something for… are you alright? You look a bit sick." She forgot about the robe, seeing her friend sitting on bed, pale and even more forlorn than usual. Today's rain left them all soaked and catching an infection wouldn't be a surprise.

"How does it matter? I'm doomed anyway."

Daria recognized his worse mood immediately. She sat down on his bed next to him and put her hand on his shoulder. He flinched at the touch and took off her hand. Another sudden feeling, that the dress was probably one of her worst ideas so far, dawned to the sun elf's conscience.

"I went shopping and look what I found" she tried to smile, despite knowing that even if all the gods went down from heavens to smile at Xan he would only say: 'Is that all?'

He barely spared a glimpse at the robes she placed before him, but then he recognized the old stains he wasted whole morning on trying to get rid of, unsuccessfully, long time ago, and the arcane symbols on the fabric that saved his life on more than one occasion. He looked at Daria astonished, but knew better than asking how exactly she found it.

"And I think I found a way to discover where Imoen was imprisoned as well. Though you probably won't like it… Shadow Thieves have a branch in Trademeet. They may be persuaded to give us contacts in Athkatla."

"Shadow Thieves? Daria, you truly have a deathwish? They will use us to their own goals and stab us in our backs when they're contentedly done. Those are not people to be trifled with."

"We can at least try. It's not that we have any other idea. But let's not talk about it now. And since you won't get any sleep in this noise anyway, how about we go downstairs and have some fun?" Daria didn't really believe that Xan would say, 'Sure, why not?', but she had to ask first, before she begins convincing him.

"Isn't Anomen waiting for you?" he only asked coldly.

It hurt. Of all people she didn't expect Xan to be a supporter of Jaheira's nonsense ideas. At least he could know her well enough not to think that she would be impressed by the tales of heroically slain orc. She turned her face so he couldn't read anything from her expression.

"Jaheira said he went somewhere to look for me, but he hasn't come back yet, so he's probably celebrating somewhere else" she tried to sound neutrally.

"He'll come back. Don't worry."

Daria grit her teeth. So she was a child in his eyes, swiped to her feet by fabled stories of brave aspiring knight. She didn't want to offend Anomen, he was a friend, but that was the point. She didn't see him as anything more than a friend.

"But… Perhaps going downstairs isn't such a bad idea." Xan knew that saying it was exactly a bad idea, even before he said it, but he couldn't help it. A memory of Daria, laughing in the dandelion fluff was still fresh and very contrast to her saddened expression now. He could serve her as a source of entertainment for the time being, that was what friends did, wasn't it? Until her knight on white stallion came. Problem was…

Problem was that Daria was a demon of dance, Xan thought while being practically dragged to the common room. She was unrelenting in her swirling and spinning until her partner was coved in sweat and completely without breath. He already had a doubtful pleasure of being driven to final exhaustion by her before and wasn't up to repeat the experience. But it was already too late to withdraw. And she still had this… lack of dress on her, which only made the matters worse.

The crowd moved aside as they entered the common room and place was made for them in the middle of the dancers. Plainly perfect. Now everybody would be able to see how she wipes the floor with him. Xan sighed and took her hand in his, circling the other round her waist, trying hard not to touch her skin. He seriously doubted he would lead in this dance.

The music started once more after a short silence that fell at their entrance. A group of bards was playing lively and quick, but Daria didn't fit into the rhythm immediately, instead following it with gentle movements in each step. Xan knew he wasn't much of a dancer, but now he had no problems in keeping up with his former student. After a moment he took the lead, guiding them slowly from the center of the room. Every step led him further to understand something and when he looked at Daria, focused fully on the rhythm, he realized what made his friend change so much over past months.

She was hurting. He took a step back and guided her to turn around. The dress wasn't a display of vanity or another one of her jests. Ironically a revealing dress what hiding better than anything else, hiding the fact that underneath the healed skin the scars remained and the sun elf wasn't as strong or as dexterous as she used to be. He guided them to the corner of the big common room, watching her all the time. She was hiding that she couldn't always keep up while they marched, tried to deny that she couldn't stay conscious after her most of her visions, didn't want to acknowledge her own weakness, felt humiliated by it. He saw through her illusion-mask before, but it wasn't the only one she created.

He slowed in the rhythm even more, now completely removed and unfitting the vigorous melody. Previously it was a dark cloak and a hood, even her face hidden in an illusion, all creating a wall shielding a hurt elf from the world around her. Now she took the cloak off and the disguise became even more perfect, since nobody seemed to look beyond the most obvious, seeing a beautiful girl, instead of a hurt woman.

Xan stopped among the dancing crowd and looked at Daria. Their eyes met for and infinite moment.

"Allow me, my lady!" Anomen appeared from among the people, snatching the surprised diviner, leading her into the fast tempo of dance, without even noticing the enchanter standing beside her.

And Xan was left alone.


	28. The Alliance

„**The Alliance"**

She was a giant, towering over every mortal man and woman, looking down at the biggest dragons, watching small towns like Athkatla from the heights of the clouds getting tangled in her hair. Mountains were being crushed under her heels and seas were overflowing as she was crossing them like puddles, barely wetting her feet. Was wandering the realms without fear, no danger great enough to frighten her, no monster powerful enough not to be crushed under her foot, no magic strong enough to cause her to falter. Life was strength… how strong was she with murder coursing through her veins?

She looked down from her heights at the ground below her and back at the path she just created. Thousands of crushed lives littered at her each footstep.

Daria woke up with a scream.

***

'It will be a long day…' she knew, finally giving up her attempts to fall asleep again. Short moments of drifting off were clouded with the same vision appearing over and over in a tiring monotony. Rather than being bored with the same nightmare she preferred to get some fresh air.

The way through the inn was clear, she could check it without sneaking or even opening the door. Faint light gathering by the horizon was a sign of forthcoming dawn, but she knew that she had a full hour before Jaheira or any other of her friends would wake. Her scanty dress was hardly a proper attire for the morning chill, and the new mage's robes she ordered wouldn't be ready before the noon, so she decided that Jaheira wouldn't hold it against her if she borrowed her spare tunic and leggings. The clothes still bore marks of fights with trolls, but they were much warmer.

Trademeet was asleep in its homes and streets. The number of town's beggars rose significantly through the short reign of the Dao djinis, but at this hour even they were sleeping in quiet alleyways that were their new homes.

Daria managed to find a quiet corner for herself behind a shop where she found Xan's stolen robes, in a small square with a magnificent oak in the middle. She sat by the tree and picked some small pebbles arranging them to set a pattern on the ground. Before she realized she was looking at a copy of one of the runes in her pack. Symbol of destiny.

She was a giant with her head in the clouds in her dream, crushing all other destinies on her way. She changed everything she touched, bringing death and destruction with her tainted legacy. Bringing death to all near… loved and hated, friendly or even indifferent. Everywhere she went she brought chaos, and even though she was forcing herself to believe that she was leaving things better then how they were when she met them she couldn't deny that Alaundo's prophecies were coming true. She cheated death for a long time, feeding it with others' lives…

Gorion, Tamoko, Khalid, Dynaheir… and many, many more. They didn't have to die, but they did, only because she lived.

She looked at the symbol again, but now it was different. Did she subconsciously change the pattern? Or maybe she was only used too much of seeing death following around and it was all she could see now? The new symbol was life. She added some more pebbles to make it look better.

All at once she felt people around her, hidden in back alleys by the shop. Through her talents she knew that Shadow Thieves have seen her leaving the inn and decided to come to visit. The shopkeeper held up to his task, even though the appointed time didn't match. Daria stood up and dusted her robes nonchalantly. Her heart began to beat faster, but somehow all she was concerned about was that if she was wrong Imoen would remain in the Cowled Wizard's prison forever.

A half-elven woman was sneaking behind her. Daria focused to see every step she made and few more she didn't make yet, but tried to seem oblivious to the Thieves presence. She needed to keep her best cards covered and though she could allow herself to boast a little among her friends, trying to dominate, or worse – humiliate, a member of the biggest underground organization of Amn could only lead her to a shallow grave. How could she save Imoen then?

"Hero of our humble town, contacting the Shadow Thieves – what would the people say?" Daria didn't flinch when the woman standing behind her back addressed her. The half-elven thief had her weapons sheathed and from all the diviner knew only came to talk, at least now. She was a guild mistress in Trademeet, her name was Itona, she had two dogs – Alroy and Puppet and was said to know every fence in Amn. Colorful visions from the thief's life came as soon as Daria choked the fear. She didn't even try to turn to see Itona's face. She knew that the Shadow Thief wouldn't let her do that just yet.

"I need to learn the localization of Cowled Wizard's prison, where my sister is kept for unauthorized use of magic. For that I need help from organization more powerful than the Cowled. You can give me contacts to your guild masters in Athkatla."

"And what a diviner would need my help in obtaining the localizations of the right people? Surely, none good enough to pick the Shadow Thieves' interest." Itona had her own sources of information concerning Daria's profession. The diviner could reveal some of her cards.

"No, Itona, but one who knows, that without proper recommendation she wouldn't be allowed to see the front door of the guild." Daria turned to face the guildmistress.

The woman was a professional. She didn't as much as blink hearing her name being spoken out loud first time in the conversation. Only her almond-shaped eyes narrowed slightly, when she evaluated the elf before her more carefully. At least she didn't have much experience with diviners and now that Daria saw her face without any of her protests she could only pretend that all was going according to a plan. Her subordinates were watching not only Daria.

"And why would I give you what you need?" Not a bit of anger was to be heard in Itona's voice.

"Why indeed? You have all you want already, now that the djinis are gone and trade routes are no longer attacked by wild animals. A steady income is flowing straight into your pocket."

Itona laughed unpleasantly trying to hide her hand moving toward her sheathed dagger. The seemingly blind eyes of the diviner were unnerving her. The milky whiteness with rare glint of silver seemed to be looking through her, centered on some point behind her back, ghostly glow of unmoving pupils.

"That's the problem with you, diviners. Always getting tangled in chronology. Bargaining should go before completing the task. Trademeet is safe and prospering, but I owe you nothing. And before you ask, no, I'm not going to do it out of sheer goodness of my heart."

"I'll bring you Waukeen's mantle." It was Daria's winning card, the latest task ordered to Itona by the guild masters of Athkatla. If this wouldn't work then she might as well end up with a dagger in her back.

Another moment passed as Itona threw her a silent look. The dagger has been forgotten.

"We have a deal."

***

The rest was a blur. Jaheira threw her weird looks when she came back to her room in the druidess' clothes, but Daria couldn't think about anything accept going back to her bed. The amount of visions showing many details from her talker's life was useful in leading the conversation, but disastrous for her head at such an early hour. At least the headache hadn't started before the last of the thieves serving as Itona's bodyguards disappeared in a back alley of Trademeet.

Somehow she managed to drag herself along to the inn, ignore all Jaheira's questions about where has she been sleeping, if not in their room, and crawl into her bed. A scarce instruction to get a gold ornament called Waukeen's mantle from one of the Trademeet's crypts and a short warning about animated skeletons was all Jaheira was able to drag out of her ward. Daria knew she would get a lecture later on, but it didn't matter yet. Lecture or not, Jaheira knew her good enough to do what had to be done without unnecessary questions.

'If only Xan was here…' Daria couldn't stop but think when the bustle downstairs finally quieted confirming that her party was already on its way to the haunted crypt. Cold hands on her forehead weren't taking the pain away like Anomen's spells, but she could put up with a little headache, just to be near Xan again. They were becoming more and more distant to each other, more strangers than friends. She missed these half-smiles of his he gave her each time she sent him a fugitive smile or winked. She felt like if he couldn't or didn't want to look at her any longer, that he saw her as someone he knew nothing about.

But he had his own future now and she shouldn't worry about him. If only it didn't feel so lonely…

***

She dug herself out of bed only after noon, hearing familiar voices downstairs. All she wanted was to remain in the bed, away from the noises and the light, and sleep until the pain goes away, but Itona wasn't going to wait. At least the illusions would make the diviner look just as good as she didn't feel. She covered Jaheira's tunic and leggings with her dark cloak and left the scanty dress stashed at the bottom of her pack. Buying it was a bad idea from the very beginning, but at least Jaheira had spare clothes Daria could borrow for the time being. She went downstairs to join her party.

"Migraine" she explained before anybody had a chance to ask. "You have the mantle?"

"We found it, along with some useful facts, you forgot to mention." Jaheira rose from her seat at the sight of her ward. "Two families of Trademeet fight for the right to be known as the founders of the town. Surprisingly owning this mantle would be a perfect proof of superiority."

"Really? I didn't know." Daria muttered sitting in front of Jaheira by her table. She hid face in her palms to avoid the light.

"What do you mean, you didn't know? Then why did you tell us to get it?!" Jaheira's voice rose in annoyance. "You know that giving this mantle to one of the families will start a civil war in Trademeet!"

"Or we can bribe the local Shadow Thieves to give us contacts to their guild masters in Athkatla with it. It's the best informed organization of Amn and they must know where the Cowled have their prisons." Daria didn't even looked at the druidess from behind her palms, but almost unnoticeably hunched her shoulders preparing for a shout.

"The Shadow Thieves?! Child, it's not a time for jokes! It's a criminal organization! They don't go and help people in need."

"You're right. We should go and ask Harpers for help, or maybe the Council of Six. Or perhaps Elminster himself will be kind enough to lend a hand?" Daria moaned and glimpsed at the furious druid through her hands. "Jaheira, please calm down. I wouldn't even consider it if I knew of any other alternative."

"Of course there is another alternative!" Daria winced at another Jaheira's shout.

"But we can't find it" she continued calmly. "Until we do, we will try to make a deal with the Shadow Thieves."

"You're giving up, just like that?" Jaheira dared her.

"I'm not giving up. We will find Imoen, one way or another. If you have other suggestions please voice them, but other I will not hear more about it." Daria unwoven her hands and looked flatly at Jaheira with a completely composed and strangely cold expression. "Does _anybody_ have any other suggestions?" She asked again without moving her stare from the half-elf before her. Jaheira for the first time had nothing to say and just watched her ward completely astonished. She would never expect her behavior to be so chillingly mature.

"Then we're going to meet guildmistress Itona." Daria continued after a second of silence. "She will give us contacts we need, in exchange for the Waukeen's mantle you acquired. If you have any questions now is the right time to ask them." Only now the diviner looked at the rest of her party, watching her stunned. Only Minsc gave her a broad distracted grin.

"Let us go" the diviner sighed gathering from the chair. One by one her companions followed.

***

"…is Gaelan Bayle. He lives in slums district, east from the Copper Coronet. Not much more than a fence, he is, but has contacts to most of the guild masters of the Sword Coast. He will help you, if you can stand him. Show him this dagger and say that Itona sent you."

Daria nodded accepting the dagger. She didn't look tired or pale and tried not to fidget despite that all she wanted was to be done with the deal as fast as possible. She watched guildmistress' silhouette concealed by the magic of ring of invisibility disappearing behind the corner, before hiding the dagger in her shoe and turning to her companions.

"We have the link to athkatlan Shadow Thieves now. I think we should consider before taking next step." She considered hiding her eyes before a palm again, but as far as she knew she could still be watched by the thieves and appearing weak was the last thing she wanted. Divining for anyone hidden in the shadows was not an option until she'd get rid of the headache.

"Minsc and Boo will go everywhere with Daria! She even isn't little anymore! So says Boo." Minsc shouted solemnly. Some plaster fell of a nearby wall, but that might have just as well been a coincidence.

"She's not. I will follow your lead." No plague of locust or a celestial event happened, but Jaheira really said that.

"I'm doomed anyway. I might as well die in your company". Xan looked everywhere, but on her face.

"I would like to join your company as well." Mazzy looked at the diviner with kindness.

"You may join us Mazzy" Daria answered a bit uncertain. She rubbed her hurting temples. "But I think you should stay in Trademeet for now. I think your sister will need you."

"You sense it, don't you?" The halfling woman was now worried. Daria hated making people worried with uncertainties, but she learned to prefer not to stay silent. "Very well, I will stay. I trust your intuition and I know how much you have to pay for it. I wish you luck in finding your sister."

"I would like to stay as well. I don't think it is safe for me to return to Athkatla just yet." Valygar made a desperate attempt of leaving this doomed company, bunch of fools or righteous team of butt-kickers, depending on who was describing them.

"You'll be safe. They forgot about you the moment Tolgieras died" Daria ignored Valygar's concerns. He looked as if he was about to say something more, but resigned, deprived of any reasonable excuses to leave the band.

He'd be really shocked should the way back turn out to be either short or easy.


	29. Long Way Back

„**Long Way Back"**

Anomen wasn't easy to get rid of. Since the time they danced he was keeping to her side, unrelenting like an itching spot one couldn't quite reach. Since the time they departed from Trademeet two hours ago she already got another battery of stories about his brave deeds and many awkward compliments. It looked as if he was gathering courage to finally say something and though Daria pitied him because of the inevitable outcome of this conversation, she couldn't stop but pray for his courage to fail him this time.

And to think she already began to consider she knew Anomen and that his stories were only a cover-up for a living man with his own emotions, not treating her as a random 'lady to be courted'. It was almost like he had a split personality. Or an evil twin.

"My lady? You aren't listening to me, are you?" he asked after she ignored another one of his questions.

"Oh, I'm sorry Anomen. I got lost in my thoughts for a moment" she explained, forcing a smile.

"I didn't mean to bore you, my lady. If you'd like I can remain silent."

"No, it's fine." Daria knew she wasn't assertive and it didn't help her a single bit. "I didn't have any sleep tonight because of the headache" she lied flawlessly. "Don't mind me."

"There's something I'd like to talk to you about right away, my lady. We had no time in the evening, but if we could walk ahead of the group for a moment…"

And there it came… She's been friendly to him and she got what she deserved. What did Xan keep repeating every time they stopped to save a cat from a tree for an old lady? That no good deed goes unpunished?

Friendship between them was most likely to be lost, but if she could play it right she could at least save his pride and not lose another party member. It didn't work with Ajantis unfortunately. The diviner hastened her pace to avoid eavesdroppers, only turning back quickly to tell Minsc she's going ahead with Anomen for a moment to scout.

*

Xan's eyes followed her from the end of formation with uneasiness he didn't want to admit. He tried to keep his eyes to the ground, but every time he got lost in his thoughts he was finding himself looking back at Daria, walking alongside with Anomen. He tried not to glare at the squire as the pair chatted lightly. And now they moved ahead of the group, so they could talk in private. Xan sighed and began to watch the ground again.

"They seem to be taken with each other, don't they, my friend?" Yoshimo appeared by the elf side as if by a wave of a magical wand. Hopefully none of such wands existed.

"It's always rises the spirit to look at people in love" the bounty hunter continued, not discouraged with his listener's lack of response. "You would never hear me saying that those in love should be quiet about it."

All he received as an answer was a glare. Yoshimo smiled chirpily, before coming back to watching the pair ahead.

"But our young squire doesn't appear to hold himself back, judging by the look of surprise at our dearest leaders face."

Xan knew it was a bait, but it was not like he could decide not to doubt it, and thus his eyes once again wandered from the ground to the pair ahead of him. Daria in fact was surprised. She stopped and stood with wide eyes turned on the priest. Xan could only see her profile for a second before she recovered from the stun and began to march along Anomen's side once more, turning her face to the road ahead. The elf could hear soft murmur of the spoken words, even though he couldn't make them out.

"Bounty's for the brave, as they say. And winning such a woman's heart is quite a prize, isn't it?" Yoshimo continued to ask what only could be rhetorical questions. "Not many women would have courage to jump before an armed Rakshasa, and enough presence of mind to aim with a Ring of a Ram at the same time…"

"She did that?" Xan said before he bit his tongue.

"You should have seen her, my friend! Only that, by then you actually weren't able to see unfortunately."

"I wasn't…" Xan muttered to himself. He remembered the sound of loud crash after being blinded. It would mean that Daria was the one to save his life. Or at least prolong it for some unquestioningly short and not very joyful moments.

"Now that is a nice display of joy" Yoshimo brought elf's attention back to the present after a moment. He raised his head again and at the same time heard Daria's laughter. The girl was held in the air by Anomen as they whirled on the road again. Both were laughing out loud, oblivious that they were the centre of the whole party's attention. The diviner tried to tame the happiness enough to make the squire put her down on the ground, but only after few more spins he stopped releasing her from his arms, flushed and dizzy.

"It's… true? My lady?" Anomen asked panting, now loud enough for everybody to hear. Daria beamed at him and patted his armored shoulder. Only then she realized that they caught the attention of the whole team. Xan lowered his eyes to the ground not to see her blush.

He tried not to hear her laughter, still ringing in his ears despite that now she was red with embarrassment and not in the mood for fun anymore. She was laughing only once, for him, in the clearing. He waited so long to hear her laugh, to see her smile happily. How could she laugh for Anomen so easily?

Before he realized she made her way to his side. Some of his thoughts must have been showing on his face, because anxiousness was mixing with worry in her eyes as she looked at him, eager to talk about something.

"Leave me alone" he said and turned away. There was nothing she could tell him, what he didn't already know.

*

It took her longer than she thought to prepare the camp fire that night. Every simple action was interrupted by long moments of getting lost in thoughts and then another moment she needed to recall what she was actually doing. Usually by that time she needed to start everything all over and so the circle continued.

And it all began with a simple conversation. Of course in the beginning she didn't think it would be as simple, and neither did Anomen… None of them was right about the course of their discussion, but in one thing they were both correct. It wasn't going to be just a regular small-talk.

"My lady, you know that as an aspiring knight, my actions are closely watched by my superiors in the order" he began hesitantly by then. She remembered he was struggling not to gesture nervously, making him appear as if he was trying to untangle his hands from an invisible cobweb.

"I don't mean to judge you for trying to contact the Shadow Thieves. All the official ways are closed by the corrupted wizards… And I know your intentions are pure and your heart noble, my lady…" The squire finally got tangled in his own worlds and fell silent. Only then she actually understood what he's getting at.

"You want to leave the group" she stated calmly.

"I'm sorry. I… Working with criminal underground doesn't befit a member of the Order of the Radiant Heart. And my Trial is getting closer…"

"Anomen… look at me" he raised his blue eyes at her when she asked him. "You have nothing to apologize for" she assured him hastily. "I'm sorry I didn't think about asking you earlier. You aided the group so many times as a healer and a warrior… and a friend. I cannot it against you that you want to fulfill your own dream. And if my visions are as correct as I think them to be, then perhaps there won't be any need of further fighting. We will pay for releasing Imoen and be done with the Thieves for the rest of our lives. We could visit you and introduce Imoen to you once it's all done!"

She gave him a long speech with full list of reasons why he shouldn't worry about leaving them. And to think he was afraid to as much as say a word… It was a fact that she was almost killing innocent on the streets after Nalia left, but that was a different case. Back then she wasn't happy that she wasn't going to lose a friend because of another failed would-be romance.

For the fifth time she tried to start the camp fire with a minor cantrip she normally could cast with one hand and a blindfold on her eyes. For the fifth time she lost concentration and the heat dispersed in to the air in a harmless puff of smoke. One more failed attempt and either someone else would have to do it or they'd all go sleep in cold. She couldn't stop thinking about what Anomen said next and it didn't bode well for her last try with making the campfire.

"My lady…" Anomen began after she finished convincing him. "There's one more thing I'd like to talk to you about. Forgive me if I say something inappropriate, but you called me your friend and, my lady, I'd like to be one. I think you should talk to Xan about how you feel. I believe you have your feelings returned."

"W-what? How…? No!" she stopped completely aghast.

"Please, my lady. I have my own eyes." He stopped as well, looking at her with a concealed, but polite smile.

"Who told you?" Who could tell? No one knew! Her eyes narrowed as she measured the priest for any sign of mischief or bad intentions.

"You did, my lady. The way your eyes always follow him when he's near, the way you panicked when he got injured. He's doing the same things when you're not looking. You two should talk."

"I… Anomen, I know him longer than you do." She tied hard not to look back at Xan marching on the rear of the group. His hearing was as sharp as any elf's. If he hears that… She felt chill rising her hair on the back of her neck accompanied by deep crimson on her face. The thought both chilled and warmed her.

"If you say so, my lady." Anomen smiled politely at her again. "But my advice still stands. I believe that with Helm's blessing you two will be together before I pass my trial. Before I will face my trial." He corrected himself with a sigh.

"You will pass it. I know it."

She shouldn't have said that, she should have realized that it wasn't just a friendly reassurance when came from the mouth of a diviner. Before she knew it she was in the air, held up by Anomen in the middle of his victory dance, laughing like a child and spinning around on the road. For a moment she even wanted to stop him, forewarn him that no future was certain and what she knew was only the most likely possibility, but seeing his joy she decided to postpone it, at least for now. He couldn't stop laughing until he finally let her down on the ground.

"Your robe is on fire." A somber voice pulled her out of her conscious reverie.

"W-what?" Her vision centered on Xan standing before her with a resigned look on his face, pointing something by her feet.

"Your robe…" He sighed and kneeled before her, whispering a word of incantation to put out a small flame created by her last attempt to create the campfire. Daria yelped realizing she accidently pointed her newest set of mage's robes with her last fire spell. After one day of wearing it already had a burned out hole.

"You should watch out before you burn the whole camp" elf raised his eyes from the burned edge of the fabric. Over his shoulder Daria saw Anomen looking at them from some distance. She'd recall his advice should she be able to forget about it in the first place.

Xan turned around to see what caught her eye.

"I'll go gather some more firewood." He stood without turning back to her. She quickly caught the sleeve of his robe.

"No, wait! I… run out of spells."

"You had six prepared for today." He looked at her dubiously.

"I couldn't quite catch the concentration…"

Xan sighed and began chanting without sparing her a second look. The campfire was scorching merrily two seconds later. Daria's blush became two shades deeper, added by embarrassment.

"Could you sit with me for a moment? I'd like to talk to you." Daria addressed the enchanter when he finished summoning fire.

"I have spells to prepare." He tried to walk away, but she didn't let go of his robes.

"Please. Just ten minutes."

Xan sat in front of her by the fire and looked at her coolly. His silence weighted over her head like a load ready to fall.

"I just wanted to say… I…" she swallowed with difficulty. She should have thought it through before she said anything. No idea came about how she should begin to say what she wanted. And what could she tell him? That she heard he loves her? That she loves him?

And Xan wasn't helping, never taking his cold and composed eyes from her face. She envied his control over his own emotions.

No, it was pointless. Anomen was wrong, he had to be wrong. Not a briefest vision, most blurry flash shown that future hid something close to what the squire believed was there. True, he guessed right about her feelings, but it was a lucky guess. They spent a lot of time together, in many difficult situations, and she must have given herself away somehow. Besides he was still new in the group compared to most other members. What he took for a proof could be a simple gesture between good friends who came through as many life threatening situations as they did. Only she was foolish enough to fall in love in a party member.

And what her precognition showed… what she knew for sure… was that they wouldn't be together.

She looked deeply into eyes of the elf sitting before her. No celestial light appeared, no God came, no thundering voice announced some great revelation to point to her what to do.

"I'm sorry, it's nothing. I got distracted." She turned away feeling teary out of sudden. For one stupid moment she hoped…

Xan stood up and walked away as silent as before. Daria caught the eyes of Anomen from some distance, looking at them from over a mass of stakes and fabric that were to be composed into a tent. Soon he would came and ask her what happened, but she didn't want his attention now, or almost anybody else's.

She took her cloak and disappeared in the woods.

*

The night was long and cold, especially if welcomed alone in the woods, away from the campfire and tents. At least Jaheira could be brushed off with an explanation that there was something important her divinations showed that forced her check it immediately in the forest.

The next day wasn't any better, with its warm sunny weather, flowers blooming alongside the road and everything reminding Daria of her captive sister. She tried not to think about what she nearly done last night, almost losing the already strained friendship for an idle gossip, not to count the days after Imoen's capture and suppress all the worries concerning working for the Shadow Thieves. Gathering even vast amounts of money or powerful magical items wouldn't be more dangerous than their everyday life, but what Daria feared was that her abilities would be the center of guild masters' interest. After all a diviner in the ranks of assassins and spies was a worthy asset. She dreaded having to stain her hands with innocent's blood to save Imoen.

Of her worries she told no one, what became her habit, but through their link Gooseberry understood as much as he could as her familiar. He comprehended and knew much more than a common street rat now and even his new appearance expressed his newfound magical nature. The regrown fur on his back was black and white, with dark mystical patterns set with every single hair. Gooseberry the Runic Rat was now by no means similar to the dirty sewer creature she met in her cage below the promenade. Only in the inside he was the same rat, just as she was the same elf. And Xan was sneezing every time he got near again.

Daria sighed and looked forward. Avoiding everyone while marching in a formation was impossible, so she chose to walk alongside Valygar, who used scowling as a sole method of communicating with her. It suited them both, but could last only as long as she didn't call for a halt. Some under-skin feeling was telling her that this night's rest wouldn't be an easy one.

*

"My friends! I would like to thank you for many heroic battles you fought alongside with me. You have shown much bravery in many difficult situations and I am honored that you proved to be a company worthy of a knight of the Order. Unfortunately I must leave your company once we reach the city of Athkatla."

Daria groaned quietly when Anomen stood up in the middle of their crude camp and began his speech. The temperature immediately dropped when the priest became a target of Jaheira's icy glare.

"And why must we be deprived of your presence, oh brave knight?" the druidess asked with her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"I understand your disappointment lady Jaheira, but I assure you my reasons are valid" Anomen continued, never noticing the mockery. "I have to go and prepare for my Trial and for that my reputation cannot be blemished with collaboration with Shadow Thieves. Lady Daria gave me her permission to leave the group."

Daria was quickly annoyed with a look of compassion Jaheira threw her before turning back to the young squire.

"You're going to leave just like that? After yesterday?" the half-elf asked him with irritation.

"He's leaving Jaheira." Daria chimed in quickly, before Jaheira had a chance to gather speed. "And so are you."

"What do you mean?" her step-mother asked, now more with worry than anger.

"The Harpers are looking for you in the city. They will approach you when we arrive and take you somewhere, I suppose for some sort of a secret mission. I didn't see more. But it won't take long before you will be able to come back."

"I understand." News gave Jaheira something to distract her as she began to ponder on complications it created.

"So when is your test to occur, my friend?" Daria uttered a curse when Yoshimo brought everyone's attention back to Anomen. The last thing she wanted was Jaheira to create more fuss around his leaving.

"The date has not yet been set, but a squire of the Order has to remain ever vigilant" the priest answered with his nose in the clouds.

"One weirdo less" The sun elf heard Valygar muttering from his corner. Ironic for him to say. When she threw a mocking smile at the broody ranger she noticed out of a corner of her eye Xan watching her from over his spellbook. She quickly turned back to Jaheira.

"What about loyalty your kind seems to value so much? Or is it just a trick to impress young women?" Jaheira mocked, trying to stick a needle as deep as she could.

"Jaheira, please stop." Daria rose from her seat and picked up her spellbook. "I hereby predict this argument has no point" she tried to send everyone away to their tents. As long as they continued talking another argument was inevitable. "You're taking first shift with Valygar today Jaheira, the second is for me and Xan to prepare the spells, Minsc…" the diviner turned to the large berserker already snoring soundly on his bedroll. "Anomen and Yoshimo, see if you can wake Minsc for the last watch. Goodnight."

She went inside the tent she shared with Jaheira. She hoped she wouldn't wake up on a bloody battlefield.

***

"What's with all this arguing at night and staying silent during the day?" Valygar startled Daria suddenly saying something to her as they walked in their last day of journey to Athkatla. Of all, this she did not expect.

"What do you mean?" she responded after a long second. It took her some time to banish unhappy thoughts clouding in her head.

"You're the weirdest group I've ever traveled with. During the day you barely speak to one another, but at night you'd keep the whole forest awake with your arguments. It appears that the only cause of is that you don't like each other, but in this case why would you keep traveling together?"

Daria looked back at her party. It was no surprise that nobody was taking. Even Yoshimo couldn't monologue for long in such conditions.

"It's a… tensed situation" she hesitantly explained.

"I've figured as much."

"Well…" Daria considered where to begin. "You heard what the gypsy said in Trademeet. Unfortunately, for me of course, Jaheira decided that this fake fortune-teller was telling the truth."

"Your reaction to her words would rather confirm that."

"No… it was nothing. Trademeet was… I had many visions there. Some very strong…" Daria looked down for a moment. "I was edgy, but it had nothing to do with being in love."

"This visions…"

"It's nothing new. I'll get better once we reach Athkatla. Big cities are tiring, but they also dampen my senses."

"So, Jaheira thinks you're in love" the broody ranger concluded.

"In Anomen to be precise."

"And you don't suspect why?" He threw her a sarcastic look.

"I know…" she dismissed it with a wave of a hand. "We're good friends. His sister died, it's been a hard time for him since then. He needed somebody to talk to."

"And nothing more?" _Surprisingly _Valygar didn't believe her at once.

"Don't try to make me feel guilty. I just don't see him that way."

"And you can't tell Jaheira about that, because…" Valygar inquired further, suddenly talkative.

"You think I didn't? Surprisingly a word of a trained diviner is worth less that of a fairground charlatan's."

"Then maybe you could ask Anomen to tell her that there's nothing between you two. Or does he think different?"

Daria threw the ranger a mocking smile.

"There's only friendship between us and he knows it. And I want him to leave this camp alive. As a paradox though Jaheira believes I love Anomen she doesn't want me to get involved with him. She doesn't think that a human is a right partner for an elf."

"A strange sentiment for a half-elf."

"My thoughts exactly. But despite her prejudice she wouldn't just let Anomen leave our group and 'break my heart'." The elf raised her eyes in a mock of despair. "She… cares too much for me to let him do that. She may not seem like it, but Jaheira is a very protective person."

"That crosses out Anomen and Jaheira, but what about Xan? Or is he always that murky?"

"Oh, he is moody. Only a bit more recently. I'm afraid it might be my fault."

Valygar cast her a look of interest.

"You saw that my visions can be… nasty" she explained. "It's even worse when the full moon comes, three nights in a month. Sometimes I drink to block it. And I don't mean tea."

"The night after you came to my hut was a full moon…"

"Yes. And there's this one tiny problem. I know a lot as a diviner. I can summon up visions when I need them, but I can't block them when I don't. This way I learn many unnecessary things, many… private things."

"So… you drink to block your visions, you got drunk… and you know some private secret about Xan… You let it on."

"Yes. Most likely."

"Most likely?"

"I don't remember a single thing and Xan won't tell."

By this time Valygar actually smiled. "You have a very twisted life, you know that?"

"You don't know the half of it" Daria answered with a wry smile.

"It's about this Sarevok, isn't it? This 'mad half-brother' of yours? You mentioned him in the grove" Valygar explained seeing her startled gaze. "I happen to know that Sarevok was the name of a madman, who tried to start a war between Baldur's Gate and Amn. No rumor mentioned him being a half-elf, but some said he was…"

"…a child of Bhaal. He was. And I am as well."

The ranger just stared at her with utter shock on his face. At least he wasn't trying to draw his weapons, which was a much more controlled state than most of people who found out about her heritage so suddenly.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier. It's not a topic you can casually mention in a conversation." She apologized with a sigh.

"It's… It's not" he stammered, probably surprised she wasn't trying to cut his throat or gut him now that he revealed her secret.

"I'll leave you to your thoughts" she whispered, tired. No surprise that the last person she could freely talk to…

"No, wait… stay." Valygar stopped her and took a pause to gether his thoughts. "It's just a bit surprising to be with a half-goddess in one group. But I guess one can't quite run away from his family. My mother…"

Daria listened to his tale, looking at the shapes of Athkatla slowly appearing on the horizon.


	30. End of My Lady

„**End of My Lady"**

Humans were forever fools. He couldn't stop this thought walking through the crowd filling the temple district of Athkatla. Behind every corner a preacher stood shouting his curses or blessings, threatening with divine wrath or promising heavenly prizes. The gods' bargainers were trying to buy new faithful for their deities, losing in process all that was important in faith. Behind one of the filthiest bridges a blinded man stood, convincing the surrounding bystanders to pluck out their eyes as a sign of belief in some new god of his. Even thought he spent most time in the last decade of his life among humans Xan still couldn't stop the feeling of sheer disbelief and disillusionment at the fact that the madman found fools to follow him among the mass of people.

They were all hopeless. Ready to haggle for hours over a smallest of all things, but when they got something truly priceless, something given freely… they threw it away like trash.

He looked at Daria, standing in shadow of a great temple arc, with golden ornaments hidden under a solid layer of dust and bird excrements. The sun elf appeared worn and pale, even slimmer now, without thick dark cloak on her shoulders, covering her tightly. Her tired face was covered with illusion of a healthy glow, but he already worked the spell out and could effortlessly see through it. Checking up on her state every now and then was the least he could do.

The pompous priest of Helm bowed gracelessly before her and kissed her hand. Jaheira hissed at him when he tried to reach out for her palm. His only answer was his typical mindless smile. Then Anomen bowed again to the rest of the party and disappeared in a colorful crowd heading to the Headquarter of knights' order. Daria's eyes followed him until the last speck of light on his polished armor vanished among the people. When she turned back to her companions Xan saw though illusion a tinge of sadness in her eyes.

"Let's go" she said simply. They all turned to reach Lavoc's Sphere before the dusk, in a practiced formation, that became their natural way of walking.

***

The night was disturbing. He could swear he heard quiet sound of crying through the stone walls of their new headquarter, through layers of ancient dust and what little remained of the previous occupants. Daria was alone in her room, since Jaheira was called by the Harpers as predicted, abandoned by this fool Anomen and lonely without Imoen. It was unlikely that someone else could be crying. Minsc maybe, if Boo bit his finger, but definitely not Valygar or Yoshimo. And it didn't sound as Minsc. Going to Daria's room and being there for her was all he wanted to do, but that wouldn't be exactly appropriate, would it? Besides, the sounds could be as well a product of his inflamed imagination and all he'd achieve would be waking her up in the middle of the night and making a fool of himself. Nonetheless he didn't sleep, trying to pick out the indistinct sound.

The next morning Daria came down to the hall way of the Sphere cloaked and in a hood, with her face hidden underneath, just like the day they met in front of the Council building. All guilty contentment at Anomen's departure sapped from Xan in one instant. He'd rather suffer the annoying priest's presence than see Daria suffer the lack of it. All day she's been quiet and withdrawn, even throughout their visit in Adventurer's Mart, which she saw for the first time. Neither a huge display of magical weapons, nor long shelves of magical scrolls and ingredients caught her attention when she was choosing wands and components to her spells with practiced and absent-minded ease. It appeared as if the last shreds of her enthusiasm that survived the hell she went through finally gave in to despair.

Melancholy was heavy in the air and for once Xan wished it was not.

***

Gaelan Bayle was a sneaky man with a common face, completely deprived of any distinctive marks and with annoying manner of speaking, which made him appear like he was only waiting for his talker to finally lose his patience and do something stupid. He was living in a half-ruined house, fitting perfectly into architecture of Slums, just as indistinctive as its owner and only gods could know how Daria managed to find it among hundreds other similar buildings.

However, the moment when what remained of their team after Jaheira's and Anomen's departure crossed the threshold, all illusions of poverty disappeared in one instant. Looking from the inside Bayle's house was neither crumbling, nor poor, with rich, but not extravagant furniture and complex security. The owner greeted them with casual and insincere smile, which quickly disappeared after passing Itona's dagger, turning into a mask-like expression of a professional crook.

Explaining the situation took some time, but after Daria mentioned the sum of fifteen thousand gold pieces, which was most of their funds in the moment, as a payment for finding Imoen, things went much more smoothly. Gaelan blinked twice with his almost clever and unmemorable eyes and asked them to come back in three days with the money, saying he'd see what he could do. At least he rated their intelligence high enough not to ask them to pay the sum beforehand.

When the not so numerous anymore party was coming back to their headquarters, known commonly as Lavoc's Sphere, the streets were already dark, even though at least an hour remained yet to the sun set. Long shadows were thoroughly concealing narrow alleyways of Slums district, still not able to cover its dirt and poverty. It was already too late for traders and yet too early for thieves. Only rats, madmen and beggars stayed outside at that hour. And adventurers of course, if they hadn't already been counted into the second group.

"Boo says we're being followed!" Minsc exclaimed to the entire neighborhood, while the party was crossing a wide and surprisingly stable bridge between two houses, built of random planks.

"I know" Daria and Yoshimo replied in unison. They both sighed with resignation. Setting an ambush on whoever was following them was impossible now that Minsc kindly informed him or her that they were aware of his or her presence.

"Let's just stop and wait" Daria proposed out of lack of any other alternative. "Either she comes out or goes away."

There was no silence from which they could try to discern quiet shuffle of leather-bond boots or barely audible sound of somebody's breath. All around them rats were hunting for best pieces from fresh trash, and cats were hunting for rats.

She came out. A lean figure clad in leather armor black as night, standing out with its rich elegance surrounded by the Slums environments like a jester in athkatlan Temple of Helm. Her walk as she approached them was a pure show-off, graceful and cat-like like no self-respecting spy would ever walk.

"Greetings strangers" she said with a low and sensual voice that so very much fitted what she really was. All that could be seen from her face under a hood was her chin, pale as death herself. "I'm Valen. I was hoping we could…"

"Vampire!" Daria hissed straight in her face.

Lilarcor appeared in Minsc's hands, along with a furious glint in berserker's eyes in split second. From Valen's both flanks a sound of katana's being drawn came only moment later.

"Kill the sucker!" Lilarcor squealed viciously.

The vicious undead didn't need a long moment to react. She rapidly threw her hood back, revealing glowing inhuman eyes, looked around wildly and in one fast movement leaped at Daria, the weakest of people surrounding her, throwing her through the wooden barrier of the bridge into a lower level of buildings. Two tangled women broke through the wooden roof of underneath ruined shack with a loud crack, Valen on top. Valygar cursed and quickly jumped from the footbridge after them, followed instantly by Yoshimo, both swift and dexterous in their light armor, landing safely near the pile of broken planks. Minsc and Xan almost fell off the stairs following their trail.

Minsc immediately joined the other two warriors, cutting the vampire off from her newest victim. Valen's face was covered in fresh blood.

Daria didn't move from the pile of planks where she fell. Xan paid no heed to the battle, dashing to her side, trying to dig her out carefully from under pieces of wood and debris, despite the panic causing his hands to shake like in fever. He knew he would be useless fighting against the monster, unable to use any enchantments outside in the city limits, but even if he possessed a weapon capable of killing vampires he'd forget all about it the moment Daria fell.

The wounded diviner threw him a confused look, trying to focus on his face. She was pale and bruised, with two still bleeding puncture marks on her neck. Splinters from the broken wood cut her skin and robes leaving bloody scratches.

"Jaheira! Anomen!" Xan called the healers instinctively, but no help came.

"Vampires are too fast… I could see her, but… couldn't move on time…" Daria caught his arm, but so weakly, completely without strength, that he knew she was dying, she had to be dying. She was dying and never going to live again…

He forced himself not to panic, focusing on the current task. Too much depended on his cold blood now.

"Please don't talk. Spare your strength. I'll get you out" he whispered.

Daria yelped in pain when he lifted her as carefully as he could from where she fell. Valen's scream of agony sounded the exact same moment, the vampiress' flesh finally found by Valygar's katana.

"You _will_ regret this!" Valen shrieked, turning into a chilling cloud of smoke and disappearing in the night. Only her onyx black armor remained where she stood.

"How is she? Put her here! Let Boo check her wounds!" The words surrounded Xan along with the sound of sheathed weapons. He obediently put the wounded diviner down on a makeshift bed made of Minsc's thick cloak, placed on the bare stone of the street, and knelt by her head. All he could do was watch as the two rangers administer as little of nature's magic as they possessed to their injured comrade.

But neither spells nor the potions were able to bring back the elf's fading consciousness. Xan just stood there helpless, lost in the sight of her, drenched in cold sweat and becoming paler before his very eyes.

'We had luck… too many times. And now we run out. She will not evade her death this time. Not this time.' He thought he said it out loud, but no one seemed to hear him.

"Boo says Daria needs a real healer very fast!" Minsc shouted.

"She can't stay here, my big friend, but moving her too much is not the best of ideas. The Sphere is only few steps away…"

"I'll take her to the Sphere" Xan interrupted. "You go and find a priest, druid, or anyone and bring him there".

"I'll go with you" Valygar stepped from the shadows. "Alone you won't manage to open the entrance."

Xan nodded and for the first time the dark ranger felt something akin to respect when looking at the constantly despairing elf. Some desperate determination in his eyes was telling him even if the whole coven of vampires stood on his way the elf wouldn't hesitate for a second, wouldn't even consider the notion of stopping.

Xan picked Daria in Minsc's cloak with care. For a moment he was afraid he wouldn't be able to walk, but when Minsc and Yoshimo disappeared, each in his own direction his legs carried him as if his life was weighting on his task.

***

They left the door leading inside the Sphere wide open for anyone who would wish to enter. He didn't care anymore if Irenicus himself budged in, as long as he would have some potions or scrolls containing at least a drop of healing magic.

Daria wasn't conscious anymore and only moaned quietly when he put her down on an ancient bed in one of the chambers nearest to the Sphere's exit. Valygar carefully wiped blood from her face and neck around already healed vampire bite. All they could do was to wait until either Yoshimo or Minsc come back.

Xan sat on an ornamented chair from necromancer's collection just by the bed he placed Daria on. He couldn't help but to clutch to her cold hand, thinking about many times when he held it when she slept.

But not so cold, it was never so cold.

Her breathing was labored, wheezing, as if she had to struggle for every gulp of air. Xan was barely aware of Valygar's presence on the other side of the bed. This breath became his whole world in his mind misted by panic. He wanted for this terrible sound to stop and at the same time from his whole heart he wished it would not.

Every second was like an hour when he waited for another pained wheeze. Every hour that passed was like a second from the moment he saw her walking through the Slums, conscious, alive and well. At some moment he thought he lost his mind already, but it didn't absorb him for long. He didn't care. All he cared about was for Daria to take yet another breath.

"G-Gorion?" the elf barely opened her eyes, but Xan knew she didn't see him anymore. Valygar moved his chair closer to the bed, but Xan didn't care anymore to notice his worried expression.

"Father… I can't t-take the… punishment anymore…" tears began to roll down her face as she talked with her weak and trembling voice and eyes fixed at some point in the air. "I'm s-sorry I… left you that night… C-can I die now?"

That was too much for Xan to take. He couldn't stop his own tears, gathering in his eyes, he couldn't look at her anymore, knowing it would be the last time he sees her alive. He just cried in her pillow, clutching to her hand and praying for her to wretch it out of his grasp saying he's crushing her bones, tell him that she's fine, as always, and mock him for lamenting constantly.

And then it all happened fast. Jaheira storming through the doors, breaking a golem which tried to get in her way, Yoshimo stepping on her heels with a pack of medical equipment in his hands, someone gently pushing Xan out of way and the smell of the healing magic in the air…

And all of sudden he didn't hear Daria's breathing anymore. His heart beating like a drum filled the silence.

"She'll be all right" Jaheira said, wiping sweat from her brow and smearing it with blood instead.

Tears once again stained Xan's face, but this time because of unbelievable relief that filled his whole body. She would be all right. She would die, but not today, not now…

He touched her hand. It was warmer now, even though her face remained pale and sunken. He wished he could kiss her gray lips and bring some color to them, but that wouldn't help, would it? It wouldn't matter if she died, nothing would matter then, but now that she lived…

Jaheira shooed all the men out to take care of minor scratches Daria had. Like a lunatic Xan walked to his bedroom, previously occupied by men-eating halflings, fell on his bed and immediately fell asleep, utterly exhausted.


	31. Gentler Times

„**Gentler Times"**

"You should talk to him about it" Jaheira looked in her eyes with seriousness, stopping changing her bandages for a moment.

"He won't understand." Daria had to turn away under this gaze. She was still weak and dizzy from the loss of blood, despite the healing and a night of sleep, and definitely wasn't up to another completely pointless argument.

"Not at the beginning, no. But given time…" Jaheira pushed further. She certainly had no mercy in her heart.

Daria gave her a long sad and distraught look. "I owe him that, don't I? I should tell him…"

"You owe him nothing and you will do what you want, but it is what you want – his understanding, don't you?" Jaheira threw her one last gentle gaze and turned back to healing bandages and salves, when her ward didn't answer her immediately.

"I do, but it will only upset him." Daria sighed. She doubted that giving an account of tortures she suffered was a way to fasten friendship. Certainly it wouldn't make the world seem like a nicer place.

Jaheira stroked her hair, resting on the pillow. It was soft and shiny now that it was washed by the druid, not tangled and bloodied anymore.

"He's already upset. He was grieving over you already when I came and not without reason. It's a miracle you survived. The fall caused a serious internal bleeding and the blood loss from being bitten by a vampire… You certainly aren't going leave the Sphere any time soon."

"But I won't go biting people or anything?"

"No, you won't. Turning into a vampire is a much more complex process than you read in your books." Jaheira made a pause. "I'll tell him to go to your room once he's awake. You'll decide what to tell him."

Silver glittered in diviner's eyes. "He's already awake. He appears to be struggling to leave his bedroom."

"You shouldn't peek on anybody like that." Jaheira shook her long mane, not braided yet in her usual hair style.

"Easy for you to say."

Peeking… that wasn't peeking at all, just some random glances she couldn't quite control. Daria remembered as once, in a camp near the Cloakwood Xan left her to practice her divinations after a finished lesson of runes… and went to take a bath in a nearby stream. Well, he told her to practice… It didn't take long before she got very stupid ideas end even shorter to try putting them into use, sending forth an invisible eye of mage after her teacher, finding him by the stream. She chickened out the moment he took off his cloak, but nonetheless kept herself even from thinking about the incident near Xan. _That_ was peeking.

The moment she left her ward's room Jaheira called all the party, meaning to set a plan, just as Daria foresaw. The diviner sent her familiar to join the group as her voice. Not that she blamed Jaheira for plotting again, they needed some plan to gather more money, and find out what happened to Minsc while she was resting, but she needed to make some small improvements into it.

"Jaheira, you are not going to stay in the Sphere to tend to me" were the first words that fell from Gooseberry's mouth, voice being Daria's. No one from their small gathering of four was surprised by a talking rat anymore.

"I am staying. You lost too much blood. If something happens to you in such condition…" Jaheira began the healer's talk. Daria would rather have this conversation in her room, but after mentioning… she forgot about it.

"And why am I in such a condition?" the diviner asked rhetorically.

"Because you were attacked by a vampire?!" Jaheira lost her patience, as if called. She really could do it any time, any place.

"Because there was no healer around when we fought. You're going with the team. And one more thing. Gooseberry goes with you."

Jaheira threw the rat a skeptical look. "In case we need a walking doormat?"

"In case I have a vision concerning any of you, or you will need to contact me, he will serve as a link. It's easier than telepathy" Daria answered, feeling Gooseberry raging at druidess' comment. Someone was up for a rat bite…

"I agree to it only if somebody else stays with you." Jaheira stated her conditions.

"We're being run by the two of them like service. How did this happen?" Valygar whispered to Yoshimo as loudly as he dared and it wasn't loud.

"You wouldn't want to stand between two women when they fight, my friend" Yoshimo whispered back even quieter.

"So, you stay in the Sphere with Xan" Jaheira's eyes pierced through the enchanter. "And I'm going out with your rat."

"Yes" the diviner confirmed flatly.

"And you remember our previous conversation." It was a statement, not a question.

"I do" Daria said much less firm.

"Good." It appeared as if Jaheira wanted to add something more, but Gooseberry already returned to his ratty self. He ignored the druidess completely, trotted up to Valygar and peeped at him from the level of floor.

"Why it had to be me?" Valygar grumbled, picking the rat up.

Xan entered, looking as ever a bag of pain and despair, pale as always and mute like two hundred years of silence. His eyes might have become a bit glassier when he looked at her lying in her bed, but he didn't say a word as he sat on a chair nearby. He was watching her intensely as if she was about to understand his silence and answer the question contained in it.

"I discovered where the vampire's lair is" Daria began hesitantly, a bit put off. "I had a vision after I was attacked. I can lead us there."

"No, I am…! I am not going to let you go anywhere near this place" Xan raised his voice. He sighed and calmed down almost immediately, not looking at her anymore.

"Xan…" She wasn't going to argue. It had no point now, when he was barely controlling his shuddering breath and unrestrained emotions. It hurt to see him thrown out of balance so much… and even more to know she was the cause of it.

"You were dying before my eyes" Xan took her hand in his cautiously as if it was made of glass and raised it to his lips. He planted a soft kiss on her middle finger, never looking at her face. She could feel his trembling breath on her skin and the ache in his heart. "I could do nothing, I thought… You only woke up for a moment. You were talking to Gorion, asking him to…" He didn't finish. He released her hand and stood up, walking up to the door. After few nervous circles around the room he sat back on the chair, a bit calmer. Again he looked at her with his eyes saying something she couldn't decipher.

"When I was in the dungeon…" Daria began. 'It'll be easier after you begin' Jaheira said. What could she possibly know about it?

"When I was in the dungeon I was slowly losing my mind… After all the spells searching through and destroying my memories, all the tortures… I was convinced that all of this… all this pain… was a punishment I deserved for leaving Gorion that night when Sarevok attacked us on the road, for leading my friends to death… That I have to atone for it and then I would be able to finally die."

"No, you are not guilty of this." Xan shook his head. "Their death _was not_ your fault. It was just…"

"No, you don't understand. I had to believe it was a punishment, that all this suffering had some meaning. Realizing that I was there just because of a sadistic madman, completely in his power, only because he was stronger… that I would die only if he wished me to, when he would be bored with torturing me… I wouldn't be able to take it."

Xan moved to sit on the edge of her bed, stroking her hair just like Jaheira did only minutes ago. She could feel him clearly through the elven spirit, without any barrier between them anymore and she knew he feels this closeness too.

"You suffered so much…" he finally spoke. "You are tired. A reverie will recover some of your strength."

"Will you stay with me when I sleep?" she asked shyly. But now that they were so close there was no way of misunderstanding. "…milya mellon?"

"I will" he promised.

They joined their hands and Daria fell asleep, maybe a bit more at peace.

For Jaheira the three days passed in a blink of an eye, busy as always. The first thing they had to do – buying Minsc out of jail where he was locked for breaching through the gates of temple of Lathander and an attempt to kidnap one of the acolytes – quickly led to another and soon they had enough work to keep them occupied for another month, negotiating with fussy artists and solving murder cases both.

The largest part of their 'adventures' Gooseberry spent hissing at Boo and cleaning Valygar's backpack from crumbs, but once in a while he was addressing them with Daria's voice, giving advice or pointing other places where they could find out once more that adventurer's profession was essential for the well-being of athkatlan citizens.

Only twice they needed to use the link the other way around, calling Daria through her familiar and most attempts of convincing the rat to call up his wizardess ended with bitten fingers. The first time, when they needed the location of fallen paladins' hideout, and the second, when an old acquaintance of theirs, a half-mad mage Xzar asked for help in finding his nurse and spy, Montaron. The first vision Daria had revealed that the mage didn't even have the reward he promised them for this task, but she divined the halfling's fate anyway and it wasn't a happy one. Xzar walked away muttering curses under his breath.

The three days passed in a slow and relaxing monotony, during which Daria would play cards and dice with Yoshimo, talk quietly with Xan or listen to Minsc and Boo, depending on who stayed behind in the Sphere. For the first time since long her spellbook was abandoned in one of Sphere's great wardrobes, now that there was no need to study the same spells every day over and over. Once in a while she would throw a helpful hint to her party when some stray vision would wander to her mind, but otherwise she'd leave them on their own. It was meant to be her vacation after all.

The Sphere had so many secrets yet to be uncovered, to keep the boredom away. Daria didn't even have to leave her bed. With a helpful golem and an ability to see through the walls last mysteries yielded to her one by one. The second day she even managed to restart the machine building new golems in stead for the destroyed ones and repairing the damaged. The halls and corridors quickly crowded with small stiff creatures she created out of clay.

She liked the evenings the most, when her crew would come back from their treasure hunting, with new trophies or magic, and fatter pockets, recounting their adventures and arguing about what to do next. They would crowd in her room with magic items to identify, tales to tell and presents for her, the practical ones like wands and scrolls and magical rings. After half an hour Jaheira would come and complain that they weren't letting her ward rest and would throw them all out. Then, when they would be alone at last she would check her wounds and administer another round of potions to speed up the healing and recover the lost strength. All the time she would speak with a soft, but determined voice, saying that when the time would come to meet Gaelan Bayle again Daria would be as strong and healthy as before.

When she would leave at last it would be already dark outside. Few minutes later Daria would hear a quiet knocking at her doors and Xan would enter, careful and anxious like a thief caught on act. He would sit on a bed near her and touch her palm, his pale skin pinking only slightly. They would entwine their hands and Daria would fall asleep, free of any nightmares.

In the morning she would wake up alone in her room.


	32. The Scent of Burning

„**The Scent of Burning"**

They were dressed in their best armors and robes, polished and repaired, with shiny rings and amulets with various protective enchantments worn not only for show. Daria wore a specially bought for this occasion Robe of Protection from Fire, which she would in no way damage trying to set a camp, with a magic belt, boots and quite ordinary gloves. She even tied her hair in a bun, like she didn't for a very long time, trying to appear as representative as she could. They were to meet Aran Linvail after all, the Shadow Master of Athkatla, the most influential person in the city that was known to be home of all Shadow Thieves and their main market, the richest man in a metropolis called the City of Coin and a person to whom Gaelan Bayle gave them contact to.

The moment they entered the guild a squadron of assassins surrounded them in the shadows, with only their leader, dressed as a common street thug, stepping into light to guide the way. Though Daria sensed the men around her despite their skill and practice in remaining unseen she didn't try to inform her party members that they were being watched. They most likely figured it out by themselves by now.

She knew they were being led through the longer way into the room where the Shadow Master resided and accepted his quests. The shorter path was warded with plenty of traps of both mechanical and magical nature, hidden passages and the best among the assassins on their guard duty. It was a route open only for those trusted enough to be let into a secret, and skilled enough to get past the traps without setting them off. A trained diviner could spend two weeks in the last straight corridor before being certain that he noticed all the traps.

But then again he could end on a spike after setting the first step anyway.

Choosing the longer way around to lead the adventurers into the heart of his dark kingdom the Shadow Master might have also had motives other than secrecy. They moved through the training areas, where tens of adepts of pick pocketing, stealth and disarming traps and locks polished their skills under careful supervision of old professionals. It was a seat of Shadow Thieves' power, a perfect place to show that losing to a new amateur guild was not an option.

No one from the party knew about the guild war by the way. Most of their time they spent outside the city, or in the wilderness where vampire's influence didn't extend, or in small towns, where the undead weren't able to find safe hideouts. Some gossips about fighting in the streets reached their ears, but never caught their interest. Daria thought it was common in a city run by thieves.

It turned out that it wasn't. Gaelan Bayle introduced them into situation, dismissing the threat to the Shadow Thieves completely. He told them about the new guild that began to gain influence in Athkatla, under the noses of local guild masters, trying to overcome the thieves in the place where they were the strongest. Some from the new guild were said to be vampires and that would be confirmed by repeating sightings of these creatures on the streets after dusk. Nothing could remain unnoticed in a city so full of beggars and homeless. According to Gaelan vampiric domination charms were the only cause of their success in the city and it was soon to end now that the Thieves were aware of the threat.

The Shadow Master was already waiting for them in his hidden alcove when they finally reached him, after seeing almost all revealed parts of his base. It was another hidden message. They were a part of it all now, whether they liked it or not.

He was a blond haired man, with his age hard to determine, and empty eyes of a professional assassin. Only candle light was reflected in the scales of his fine elven-made armor, in the room without any windows, hidden underground. Other than that the room had any luxury one could think of, including a large bath with bubbling water, an interesting and delightful magical trick.

"Welcome." Aran gestured for Daria to come near and take a sit by an elegant table, made of some black wood the diviner didn't recognize. She noticed however that a faint magical aura surrounding the furniture was meant to block divinations. More chairs for her party members weren't taken into consideration and the Shadow Master didn't even glance at them. He had his people doing the watching.

Daria took her sit ignoring the obvious counter-divination. No one else had been invited to come nearer by the Shadow Master, the rest of the party had to wait by the doors. It was up to her to negotiate the conditions. Daria summoned up her best poker face.

"I was looking forward to our meeting with eagerness. As you undoubtedly know my name is Aran Linvail" the Shadow Master said without any trace of eagerness.

She sensed a concealed challenge hidden behind the words but she decided not to pursue it. In fact she wasn't certain if the man before her was the Shadow Master or just a proxy. Should it be needed she could try to break through the counter divination on the wooden table, but only if it would be necessary.

"And as you know my name is Daria of Candlekeep. And I came here because of Imoen." Was that a shadow of a smile that crossed his face when she said that, indicating he thought the magical wood blocked her precognition?

"Straight to the business? If so you wish. You want to find your Imoen imprisoned in the Cowled Wizards' facility and probably take revenge on Irenicus for keeping you prisoner. I propose you an exchange of services. I heard a lot about your skills" he accented lightly the last word.

"And I propose you give me what I paid for" Daria countered without a sign of threat in her voice, just as if they were discussing tomorrows weather.

"I apologize if you feel cheated" Linvail said, gesturing, and she was inclined to believe in his good intentions. "But opposing the Cowled Wizards is not a matter to be taken lightly. We need time and resources not to endanger out interests in Athkatla before we take any action. Especially now, with the problem of a guild war on our heads."

"I hope it won't take long" she recited her line.

"Of course, of course. It's only a minor obstacle. Because of this war everything is taking a bit longer. And this is a matter you will help us with."

"You want us to aid you in fight against a vampire that is endangering your position in the underground" Daria stated bluntly.

"I heard you already met one of them. I assume friendly feelings would not get in your way in completing the tasks you will be given?" He gave her a studied smile. A fleeting urge to punch his egoistic face crossed Daria's mind, but she didn't even had to struggle to suppress it, so fast it disappeared.

"Your first mission will be to protect the shipment that is to arrive in the western dock tonight" Aran continued. "One of my thieves by the name Mook will assist you. You will be her armed safeguard. Make sure the vampires won't destroy the cargo."

"What is inside it?"

"Something we all will find very helpful in banishing the plague of vampirism from Athkatla. And by the way… take these." The Shadow Master handed her a plain strongbox adorned with a simple pattern made of Lathander's holy symbol. He touched her hand when she began to open it. "No, don't open it… yet." He raised her gloved hand to his lips and kissed it, his cold eyes of a murderer looking into hers. "Let it be a surprise."

"I do not like this at all" was the first thing Jaheira said after leaving the stuffy underground bunker that served as a hideout of the Shadow Master of Shadow Thieves.

"We are walking into our graves, Jaheira. There's nothing in it to be liked." Xan shared her sentiment to working for a guild of murderers and thieves.

"Boo says we should trust Daria! He says she has a good plan!" Minsc shared his detached smile with them. Boo squeaked his approval.

"What's in the chest he gave you anyway?" Yoshimo was, as always, more interested in the loot.

"Amulets countering negative energy and rings of protection" the diviner said hiding the strongbox in her pack. "No more vampire bites for us. We'll share them in the Sphere. We still have few hours to dusk." Daria stumbled on a stone on the road. Xan was immediately by her side to support her.

"How do you feel?" he asked with concern in his voice. They all knew that she hadn't recovered fully from her latest injury, but Xan was up and ready every time she sneezed, treating her like she was made of glass. She would usually be annoyed by such behavior, but… he was talking to her again and didn't try to avoid her. The situation between them cleared slowly.

"I'm fine, it's just a stone…" her voice became distant as she focused on some point ahead of them. Her eyes shone with milky silvery glow.

"What's…?" Jaheira didn't have enough time to finish as Daria suddenly broke into run, sprinting ahead in some unknown direction.

"After her!" the druidess didn't have to say it twice as the party rushed to follow their leader at once.

Valygar and Yoshimo caught up with her in few short moments after the diviner crossed the gates of the government district. Xan was following shortly with Minsc and Jaheira in their heavy armor closing the obstacle race.

"What's happening?" Valygar asked catch up with the diviner.

"Can't… explain… now…" the sun elf was already panting heavily, unable to keep the tempo for long. She was obviously trying to reach some place and Valygar quickly learned what it was, when she ran straight in a crowd of people shouting angrily and bumped on one of them holding a crude torch. The burning stick fell from the man's grasp, landing on the ground along with the man who held it and the reason why he fell.

"Watch out what you are doing, wench!" The man raised his hand to hit the elf, but then he noticed Valygar and Yoshimo walking up to him, both armed and grim.

Xan was just drawing level to the group of the people when he heard a high shriek.

"It's me! It's Viconia de Vir! You have to recognize me, Daria! My life depends on it!"

He pushed through the mass of sweated bodies sensing trouble getting near. The first thing he saw was Daria shielded by Valygar and Yoshimo, and behind them a woman, a drow, tied tightly to a pole surrounded by a pile of dry wood. Before them stood a man with a symbol of Beshaba, goddess of misfortune, visible on his chest.

"Don't meddle with Beshaba's justice!" the man shouted, showing his holy symbol. All around them people were chanting 'Burn her!'

"What is it this time?" Jaheira appeared by Xan's side along with Minsc.

"Stopping lynch on a drow we happened to meet on our way over a year ago" Xan explained with a morose tone, drawing a sling he had in his pack. Once again he wouldn't be able to use his enchantments. Public lynch wasn't as severely punished as use of magic.

And then the hell broke free. The moment Daria cut the ropes tying Viconia to a pole the priest lost his patience to the unfaithful and drew his mace instead. Few of his acolytes from the crowd followed his lead, but the rest of the people scattered away, ramming through all on their way, screaming and hitting blindly.

Once the view cleared most of the acolytes were already on the ground dead, Minsc and Valygar defending themselves from the remaining two and Jaheira whispering a spell over a huge bump on Yoshimo's head. Daria stood before the Beshaba priest with her dagger, shielding unarmed Viconia in the middle of her chant.

"It's time for you to die, elven wench!" The priest yelled and threw himself at the tiny in comparison elf. Silver glittered in Daria's eyes and she dodged gracefully, exposing Viconia with a flaming sword erupting in her grasp.

"Oloth plynn dost" the drow woman muttered impaling the man on her burning weapon using his own momentum. The sword extinguished after the man died, becoming only a harmless pile of ash.

"Thank you for your help, for the second time, abbil." Viconia smiled a cunning smile at Daria with the last glints of silver in her eyes, ignoring the burning corpse lying by their feet. "But we must leave this place before more of these fanatics come after me."

"It seems we have a new party member" Valygar stated, eying the drow.

Xan only groaned.


	33. Tales Forgotten and Tales Told

„**Tales Forgotten and Tales Told"**

„Dear diary" Daria scribed carefully on yet another piece of paper that accidentally fell in her hands. Somehow she never managed to get past that part. Imoen always advised her to let her thought flow freely on the paper and just write what came to her mind, but it never worked out that simply. Her sister on the other hand easily filled page after page describing their adventures, adding new facts along the way. Daria had a tendency to end at 'dear diary'.

It would be useful to arrange the team's trials to rescue Imoen in neat order or write down all the visions coming and going as they pleased to somehow keep track of them, so with determination worth a better cause the diviner kept stubbornly writing 'dear diary' on every free scrap of paper she possessed. She even caught Yoshimo with one of such scraps, sprinkling it with some shimmering dust in one of many dark corners of the Sphere. He probably thought the rest was written in invisible ink or concealed in some other way. She tore the page from his grasp and threw it into fireplace on the next occasion she had. Filled or not it was her diary and she'd rather not let anyone beside her read it.

"It's been five days since we met Aran Linvail" she inscribed on a particularly clean and plain piece of paper. She was unsure whether she should have used the Shadow Master's name, in case her diary fell into much worse hands than Yoshimo's. She decided not to pursue the subject, not that there was much to pursue. Since their first meeting they were only assigned to do minor jobs like uncovering few thieves who decided to change their alliances, and gathering resources to fight undead, especially vampires. Aran was yet to mention the subject of her divinations in rare conversations they had.

"Tonight will be the first night of full moon this month" she wrote underneath. But then again about this issue she didn't want to write. Yet another round of nightmares and horrible visions was something she'd forget about rather than keep reminding herself, at least as long as she could do that.

She didn't want to write about her every-month problems, couldn't about the Shadow Thieves… "Viconia appears to fit in perfectly into our little group of misfits" she began once again. It was the truth, the drow smoothly picked her likes and dislikes in her first day with the team. Daria was counted into the first group immediately. She was a leader after all and it was only logical that the priestess of Shar found it to be in her best interests to be on her good side. Plus, fighting with the use of divinations clearly fell to Viconia's taste. On the other hand Jaheira and Xan fell to the second category just as quickly, becoming the main antagonists. While between the two women verbal fights became a new tradition, Xan was taking all the insults with the ferociousness of a wall, which seemed to anger Viconia even more.

But, though vicious, Viconia kept herself in line. She proved her usefulness in their first battle with vampire Lassal, turning undead and using spells granted her by Shar, goddess of darkness. She never gave Jaheira any reason to use anything more than harsh words.

All others the drow tolerated. Minsc she ignored, treating him as a slave kept around for his strength. Valygar and Yoshimo were branded as males she wasn't interested in and thus left alone. The pact worked for all sides involved.

Daria looked at four short sentences she wrote on her page. She was getting better at it. She recalled the events of past few days looking for something more she could write about.

Most certainly she wasn't going to write about the events in the Harper's Stronghold in Athkatla… She still couldn't look Jaheira straight in the eye after what she brought on her head. She should have listened to her bad feelings, she should have stayed in the Sphere or do something else from the long list of their tasks to be accomplished…

But it was planned from the very beginning. Jaheira was meant to bring her before her brethren Harpers to the hold not to be fairly judged for her actions, but to be sentenced for what she was. The conflict could only end in battle. The only thing the Harpers failed to foresee was its outcome.

Jaheira had to now cope with being branded as a traitor and Daria could add another organization to a long list of people who wanted her dead. Neither of them felt any kind of satisfaction because of it.

The diviner sighed sensing someone sneaking behind her back.

"Stay away from my journal, Yoshimo!" she warned.

Valygar came out from the shadows behind her back, coughing awkwardly and walking away with haste. Faking innocence certainly wasn't his strong point.

What was wrong with them? First Yoshimo, now Valygar… Come to think about it the two were often to be found together, talking with hushed voices in abandoned rooms of the Sphere, falling silent immediately once someone got near. There was surely some ploy going on. "Valygar and Yoshimo are acting strange" Daria added to her diary.

Now she had a list of things about she didn't write from various causes or knew nothing about. And diary was to keep track of recent events… She crumbled the paper and hid it in her pocket. She'd try another time. For now there was another mission for the thieves to be done.

"Siiir! Mister!" a quiet call of a child sounded when they were once more crossing the ever crowded passages between rich temples of Athkatla. No one from the party paid any heed to the call, they were used already to various calls in the one of the noisiest district of the city, differing only by the time of the day. Those who were sent to contact them usually preferred whispering to shouting.

"Mister, please wait! My lord!" the cry sounded much closer and after a moment a child sprung from the crowd, running straight on Xan. The elf held the little girl so she wouldn't fall and carefully guided her to side trying to pass, but the girl caught his robes and didn't let go. Only then he noticed her pointy ears, slightly narrowed face and slanted eyes underneath the dirt on her skin. The child looked like a street urchin, but after taking a closer look her tangled hair was a mass of blonde locks with leaves and twigs in them, showing that the girl had a long way in the wild behind her, rather than a life on the streets. Her clothes were completely sprayed with mud and dirt.

"An elven child, here?" the enchanter stopped astounded. The whole team surrounded the panting and tired girl, holding to Xan as if afraid he'd walk away the moment she'd let go of his robe.

"Please, help me!" the girl sniffed and began to cry loudly. Daria immediately kneeled before her and took her in her arms. That startled the girl enough to stop crying, but the moment she realized what's happening her tears began to fall with all again.

"Shh… It's all right" the elven woman lifted the girl from the ground and began to cradle her in her arms in a calming movement. "It's all right, you're safe now. We'll help you" Daria whispered into little pointed ear. Her party watched her with a mix of surprise and worry about the child. Viconia added contempt to the combination.

"Seldarine, what brings you to Athkatla, and where are your parents?" Xan turned to the girl once she stopped crying, now huddling to Daria. She turned her teary eyes on him.

"M-my mother died, long ago" the elven girl began, swallowing with difficulty. Daria's hand squeezed her hand shortly and the girl shifted in her arms to put her head on the sun elf's chest. She looked uncertain who should she address.

"It's fine sweetie" Daria kissed child's mass of hair. Xan couldn't help but stare. It seemed that the diviner gained the girl's trust already, after two minutes. He simply never saw her from this side. "Tell my friend what happened."

"Y-yes" the girl nodded, looking back at Xan. "My name is Taira and my father is in danger! He is a mage, and teaches me to be one! And he also collects old things."

Xan groaned already suspecting what they were going to hear next. "Don't tell me that…"

"…he calls them artifacts" Taira ended.

"Just put this brat back on the ground and let us leave. We have work to do" Viconia crossed the line of her toleration to kindness for today, breaking into conversation.

"We will do nothing of the kind!" Daria stated dismayed, when Taira began to tremble in her grasp at the sight of a drow. "Tell us what happened that your father is in danger?" she asked the child. Viconia only shook her head with irritation.

"One of this artifact turned out to be cursed, did it not?" Xan asked with his gloomy certainty.

"Yes, h-how did you know?" the girl looked at him wide-eyed.

"Believe me, child, I just do."

"What happened when your father found the item?"

"He became all strange. He dropped his pack and began to walk south and I had to run after him all the time, with his things and mine, but then I lost him in the crowd. It was so hard…" Taira looked at Daria expecting more compassion. The sun elf immediately shared some. "And he was saying Ko-zah all the time." She ended her tale.

"Kozah… an ancient deity of chaos and destruction. He has other name now… Talos." Xan shared a bit of knowledge. Daria had a feeling she heard the word Kozah somewhere before, but as always couldn't recall where. She kissed Taira sobbing again in her arms and asked her to look at her.

"Taira, listen to me now. You are going to help me do some magic" the diviner explained slowly. "When I tell you, you are going to think about your father, as hard as you can. Ready Taira?" The little girl nodded. Daria closed her in an embrace and gave the signal.

"You were right, the father is in the Talos temple" she confirmed once the divination ended. "He's alive, but a little… unstable. You'll need to negotiate with the main priestess to break the curse somehow."

Xan nodded grimly. From his face she could read that he wasn't as optimistic about the rescue plan. "You're not coming?" he asked, only now realizing the little detail of her talk.

"I'm taking Taira for a good dinner" the sun elf explained. "Gooseberry!" Taira squeaked when one of the pockets of diviner's cloak began to move, producing a rune-covered rat. Daria passed him to Valygar, holding the rat by the skin on its back.

"Keep me informed." She looked at Xan, before leaving her team, carrying an elven child on her arms.

After chasing through half of the city, which after revealing some of its darker secrets they began to know at the back of their hand, they finally found the ring the Talos highpriestess Ada was willing to exchange for Taira's father's freedom. Then, this time with Taira's father and his newfound sanity, they had to visit the other half of Athkatla to find Daria and her newest protégée in one of the most expensive inns of the City of Coin. Worn and exhausted they had to face the innkeeper trying to chase 'the vagabonds' away from his respected hotel. When they _finally_ managed to get past this last obstacle, they were greeted with most peculiar view. Taira, now clean and with brushed hair, in a new dress, styled for a mage's robe, squealed happily seeing them and shouted loudly. "Mommy! You're friends are here!" Then she brought Daria blushing in a deep shade of crimson, pulling her by her hand.

"Mommy…?" Jaheira articulated slowly.

"It's just a nickname" Daria explained, deeply embarrassed. Then she noticed the elf with the same color of blond hair as Taira's standing among her companions.

"Daddy!" Taira squealed again, now running in direction of her father, straight into his grasp. The man cried seeing his daughter happy and safe.

"Excuse me, mister, but do you have any idea what your daughter went through? What were you thinking, taking a child along for dangerous adventures?" Daria began to rant just like Jaheira.

"We already gave him a lecture." Valygar quietly cleared.

"Oh. In that case fine."

"I can't thank you enough for taking care for my Taira. I promise this will not happen again." The blonde elf stated solemnly, hugging his child do his chest.

"Mommy Daria bought me a dress, daddy!" Taira was completely happy now. "And you know what? She lives in that Ball you wanted to see!"

"It's a Sphere darling." Taira's father stroked her hair. "And no one leaves in it, because no one can enter."

"I only let my guests in." Daria interrupted them.

The elf just stared her with awe, not quite believing his ears.

"If you want you can stay for the night. It's getting late and you're both tired after today… It's not a luxury, but we have many free rooms."

"We could? Really?" Father and daughter asked in one voice. Daria smiled at them at them both.

"Mommy, I want a bedtime story!" Taira demanded from the position of her bed.

"It's all right, Taira. I'll tell you a tale" Rotan, her father, sat on the edge of his child's bed.

"But I want a story from mommy Daria!" the girl demanded even louder.

"It's fine. I can do it" Daria agreed. "Yoshimo, could you show Rotan the other free room. The one…" she bit her tongue before she finished '…where the sea monsters were'.

"I believe I know which room you have in mind." Yoshimo sent her a chipper smile. "Follow me, my friend."

"So, my little, what story do you want to hear?"

"I don't want a fairy tale, like my father always tells me. I want a real story!"

Daria smiled at her, tucking her in tighter in a blanket. "I'll tell you a real story about a little elven girl, just like you, who used to live in a high, sky-scraping tower, cut off from the whole world. About what was outside her tower the girl could only read in her books and many she had in her room and beyond, in many rooms her home had. Her favorite stories were about beautiful princesses and courageous knights who protected them, and passionate romances. The girl dreamt that one day her true father, about whom she knew nothing, would come to see her. He would turn out to be a mighty king of an exotic and foreign country and that he had to hide his daughter in the tower so no evil witch would catch her. Then, as every princess, the girl would have a handsome knight to protect her, who would fall in love with her."

"But it's not real! No girls live in towers!"

"I only tell an honest truth! Well… the girl did leave her tower finally, when she got bigger, but not as she always dreamed. Her tower wasn't a safe place anymore and she had to face what lied behind its gates. The outside world wasn't as she expected it would be. It was full of monsters and dangers, but lacked the knights to face them. The girl had to learn to fight, every day, and hunt little bunnies, just like the ones Trevor used to keep behind his barn in wooden boxes, and let the girl play with them sometimes. The little girl was very disappointed and scared of this outside world.

But then she found her knight. He wasn't like the other knights she read about: he didn't wear a white armor shining brightly in the sunlight, or had a brave stallion named Roderick, not even a lance or a castle with huge four-poster bed in which the knight and the princess… er, never mind.

Anyway, the girl knew it was her knight, despite he didn't look like in the books, because her heart told her so. Hearts do such things, you see. And so she did what all girls in her books did. She fell in love on the first sight with her knight. But then again the reality turned out to be very different from what the girl read in her books. The knight didn't love her, he thought of her as of a child she was. He helped her to understand the harsh outside world and taught her many useful things. Thanks to her knight the girl could defend herself from all evil witches who would want to curse her and all sorts of monsters. But he never brought her roses or read her poems or brought her jewelry from the foreign places he visited.

Time passed and the girl grew up. She became just as strong or maybe even stronger than her knight. She wasn't reading any romantic books anymore, but she could hunt a rabbit in the woods or find clean water and fight. She and her knight became good friends and could always count on each other. The end."

"That's it?" Taira made a disappointed face. "But what about the girl? Did she stop loving her knight after they became friends?"

"No, she never stopped loving him."

"So she wasn't really happy?" the child pushed further. "Even if her knight was her friend?"

"No, she wasn't." Smile faded from Daria's face. "You wanted a real story, my dear."

"But why didn't her knight love her?"

"Because some things are not meant to happen. Sleep well, my dear." Daria kissed the little blonde head and put the light off. Upon leaving she saw Xan walking off to his room a touch too casually.

"I'm awful at telling tales" Daria grumbled, walking into what passed for the living room in the Sphere, now occupied by Jaheira, repairing some tears on her cloak. "I just told Taira the most depressing fairy tale ever told. I should have told her one of Gorion's. Like the one about the fearless group of musicians who banished a red dragon from the spine of the world."

Jaheira smirked, but immediately covered her lips with a hand. She seemed to recall a familiar story, though her old friend never told her any fairy tales.

"You're not going to sleep tonight?" the druidess asked, rather rhetorically. What Daria knew she meant was 'are you getting yourself drunk tonight?' It was the only alternative for the full moon nights.

"No, I think I'll pass. I'll try making horoscopes for each of us. It might be the best time now." The idea was seasoning in her head from the time she got runes from Xan.

"You need any help?"

"No, it's a work for a one."

The druidess cleaned the remnants of her work and went to her bedroom. Daria stayed alone in a twilight chamber, lit by the ever-present magic candles of the Sphere. At least ever-present from the time she ordered golems to place them everywhere where light was required. She drew her runes and moved to the fireplace, where a blanket was left on the ground by someone, igniting the fresh logs with one fluent spell. She prepared some clean pages to write down the results of precognitions and then began her work.


	34. Tales Forgotten and Tales Told II

„**Tales Forgotten and Tales Told 2"**

"Where is she now?" Xan caught a part of conversation as Valygar and Yoshimo passed him on their way to the lower levels of the Sphere. It was a late hour and he didn't expect to meet anyone while coming back from what Daria made Sphere's library, stocking all the tomes that came to her possession there.

"In the living room. Our friend is not going to get any sleep tonight. It's the full moon…" That bit of Yoshimo's answer at once drew the elf's attention, though he'd rather not realize that what he's doing was in fact listening to a private conversation. He stopped by the bend of the corridor, trying to appear as if he was trying to recall if he left something in the library.

"So she'll be quite alone in the room for the whole night?" Valygar asked, but Xan didn't catch Yoshimo's reply, since the both men already walked through the door of the next section of the complex construction. The enchanter looked at the end of the corridor, at the door leading to the living room, hesitating on his way to his own abode.

„I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt your reverie." Xan immediately took a step back to the door he just went through, seeing he startled Daria from her thoughts as she sat on a blanket placed by a fireplace. He noticed a file of papers, covered in her a bit sloppy handwriting, lying by her feet.

"It's fine." Daria rubbed her eyes. She didn't even notice when she began to slip into a reverie. "You probably spared me another nightmare. You can't sleep?" She looked curiously at him. It was well after midnight already.

"I was worried you are here alone. But if I am interrupting anything I will go."

"It's fine" she repeated. "I finished already. I made some horoscopes. Here, it's is yours." She quickly searched through the file, drawing a page from the bottom. He came closer to the fire to take a look.

"Blind believing is better than blind disbelief. Summit under a goal, sun? Long journey?" he read.

"I know, I should have added some rhymes, and made it sound more mysterious, but remember I'm still new to this" she jested half-heatedly, sighing. "Precognitions for a long period of time are usually gibberish. I'll get better in few months."

"If we survive that long…" Xan sighed and stole a look at the sun elf. She was gazing into the fireplace flames, her hand reaching to her left cheek, though she probably didn't realize she was making this gesture. He knew what she was thinking about. "Can I sit down for a while?"

"O-of course." It seemed as if she woke up from her thoughts again. He took a place in a comfortable distance from her.

They sat in silence for a moment.

"We all have long journey in our horoscopes. Only Jaheira… she has mortal danger. I'm worried." Daria broke the silence.

"What is in your horoscope?"

"Big change, transformation. Shredding, tearing. I hope I am not going to ruin another set of robes."

One more moment of mutual staring into flames passed. The conversation somehow felt forced.

"It's obvious" she began again. "…that if I fall asleep now I will dream about Irenicus or vampires or something even worse. But imagine… if I had this abilities and a completely ordinary life… a safe home, family… All my talents would be absolutely useless. I'd be able to forecast the weather and… know that I'll be safe and loved tomorrow, and the next day… next month, next ten years…" She fell silent, just as if she hadn't just said that, as if her words weren't directed to him.

"You'd be bored with such life after a year at best" he looked at her with understanding. He remembered having similar thoughts concerning his Moonblade. If he hadn't decided to claim it, what would his life look like? But it was only idle hoping since it was already too late to change anything. His fate was sealed and unfortunately so was hers. "I know you too well to doubt that."

"Maybe… but it would be nice to try."

She looked so vulnerable and gentle, so heartbreakingly sad. Only in the last moment he stopped his hand he raised to brush off some stray locks from her face, to touch her cheek. Pleasant warmth of the fire enveloped him and Xan felt he could be quite content with his life if the rest of it could look just like that, by her side, defending his People, but from afar. But it couldn't last forever. Nothing could and the least she couldn't.

"Daria, I…" something blocked his throat, but he fought it quickly. "I need to tell you something."

She shifted her gaze from the fire to him, with some silver shine always hidden in the depths of her dark violet eyes. He felt his heart melting slowly.

"I… Daria, I tried to let go, to prove myself that it was vain, because there was no proof that it wasn't, but… I need to get a hold over myself again, regain control, I really do, but I can't. I can't until some part of me still stubbornly hopes that… maybe… that there's a smallest chance that…" He paused to take a deep breath, ignoring her puzzled look. "I need to hear it from you, everything, so I can finally stop deluding myself. I need to hear from you… what do you think of me." Normally he'd never say that. Normally he would tell her that she distracts him, that maybe it would be better if they stayed away from each other for some time, until he regains control of his feelings, but this night was different. Neither hers, nor his, but there was some magic in the air.

"I love you" the shining eyes said, softly. "I love you" Daria said gently, but with certainty of many hollow days and many sleepless nights.

"Daria, please. It is not a joking matter. I need to know" he begged her.

She moved closer to him on the blanket and he could feel her warmth along with the fire's heat.

"I love you" she said again, even softer. And her eyes repeated it.

"But you can't! You can't…" he whispered with anguish she knew so well. "We're doomed, you and I both. It is…"

"Shh…" she silenced him putting a finger on his lips. He instantly quieted. "Close your eyes."

He obeyed, now feeling his molten heart fastening its beat. He was waiting for something, but for what he himself didn't know. Or he didn't want to admit, not to feel disappointment if the reality didn't eagerly rise to meet his wishes, as it never did.

And then he felt something touching his lips, but it wasn't her hand this time. If this was a dream, than he wanted it to last. He didn't even consider that it could be reality. He felt the fabric of her enchanted robe around his neck as she circled her arms around him, and a rustle of robes, as she moved even closer to him. He felt her kiss on his lips like a fire, burning him without pain and he didn't care what was real anymore.

Her lips parted slightly on his and he understood that she's waiting for his answer. He was too terrified to move, fearing that if he only did something, if he believed it was true, he would wake up in his empty room, without her. He was afraid, he wasn't ready and he kissed her back, taking her in a gentle embrace of two magic robes sending sparks at the contact. For a moment their tears merged with neither of them quite believing in what was happening.

"What's happening?" Jaheira asked, entering the half-dark living room, upon seeing Xan holding sleeping Daria covered with his purple cloak, both on a blanket near a long extinguished fireplace.

"She fell asleep" the moon elf explained, turning to the druidess. Jaheira was surprise how different he looked without his gloomy expression. It must have been the first time she saw him without it. He almost looked… hopeful.

"Then wake her up!" she raised her voice, shaking off the strange impression. "Or do you want to wait before she has yet another nightmare?"

"No, wait. Look" the elf cut with still hushed voice. "She's smiling." He showed Daria, lying on his lap, to the druidess. The elven woman's face was adorned with a beautiful smile.

"Let her sleep" he asked, looking at his former student with fondness he didn't need do hide.

What says one shadow when meets the other? This one said: "Do you think it worked?"

"It had to work" the other shadow answered at once. "They were locked in one room for three hours and didn't even notice that the lock was shut, my friend."

"They don't seem any different…" Both shadows now looked into the light, where by the Sphere's exit the rest of the party was saying their goodbyes to the elf and his daughter. No one cared that the two shadows were missing.

"Valygar, my friend, if you really thought that they'd start singing how happy they are together then I'm afraid you don't know either of them one bit" the second shadow commented with teasing sarcasm.

Valygar grumbled with irritation. "I think it didn't work. Jaheira came too soon."

"I delayed her for as long as it was possible and you did what you could as well. I have no idea how you managed to sneak inside with fresh clogs for the fire, but the blanket by the fireplace was a brilliant idea. And what herb did you put into the fire? Pity they didn't find the bottle of wine… If we could only eavesdrop!"

"Too risky, I told you. She's usually watchful, but in full moon she'd see us before we'd manage to enter the room." The fact that it wasn't actually ethically appropriate wasn't a valid argument.

The two shadows watched silently as their leader handed the gifts to their guests. Rotan smiled thankfully, receiving two horoscopes for him and his daughter. Taira laughed running around with a figurine of an imp made of wood, her new toy. The wooden imp was enchanted with a simple spell that made its eyes shine in violet light.

"We try again tonight?" One shadow said to another.

"It's not like there's anything more interesting to do." Yoshimo smirked and blended with the darkness.

"But this time I distract Jaheira." Valygar grumbled, before following the thief.

Daria double-checked if her nymph cloak was pinned firmly by a yellow brooch, glowing faintly with a minor enchantment. She corrected the pins keeping her hair in check and went through all her spell components she had hidden in her belt, and then checked the cloak again. They were already late with the latest task they were to perform for the thieves – making a deal with Lathander acolytes for delivering holy water, but if she was to talk to the Shadow Thieves and Aran Linvail in particular, she wanted to look her best. Conversation with the Shadow Master was always a strain for her nerves, but knowing that she didn't look like straight from a week-long stay in a forest helped. A little.

She took a calming breath and marched out of her room to meet the rest of her party. They were already waiting for her in the hall of the Sphere. The sound of Jaheira tapping her foot accompanied Daria's steps on the stone ground.

And then suddenly Xan took her in his arms, held firmly and kissed full on the mouth. She opened her eyes to his hand on her shoulder.

"Daria, are you all right? You drifted away for a moment" he asked concerned.

"I'm… I'm all right" she smiled, realizing for the first time it was true. She led the way out of Sphere humming lightly. Her companions followed her lead, more or less used to their enigmatic leader.

The guild was quiet, too quiet. So quiet that made Daria check if the thief, who was leading them into its depths to Aran Linvail's meeting room, was in fact human and not a vampire in disguise, sent to lead them into a trap in an abandoned hideout of the Thieves. Only three days ago these corridors and rooms were filled with constantly training adepts, spies and messengers. Now only rats and mice could be heard rustling in dark corners. The place seemed abandoned. It was all very suspicious.

"You'll have to wait here" their guide, with a face uglier than athkatlan pavement, grunted and disappeared in one of many dark passages of abandoned guild. They stayed in an empty training room, which probably served as a place to practice throwing daggers, judging by various aims painted on the wooden wall.

"Boo says it's fishy" Minsc ineffectively tried to lower his voice. "But Minsc doesn't know what fish have to do with it."

"It's all right" Daria did a better job at whispering. Her team formed circle around her, with exception of Xan and Viconia, who didn't need to come closer to hear. "The Shadow Master has many guests today. I think he's preparing for an assault at the vampire's lair."

"A vision?" Jaheira raised an eyebrow.

"A logical conclusion. Based on a divination. We'll just have to wait."

Xan sat carefully on what appeared to be a bench for tired adepts of knife throwing. He hoped it was a bench, not a deadly trap just waiting for someone to take it for a bench. He bent over his pack to draw out his spellbook.

"Daria" he sighed, feeling something tangling his hair.

"Who else?" The diviner left his hair alone and fell on the bench next to him, giving him a light peck on a cheek. Xan blushed surprised, but tried to compose himself quickly.

"What's the reason of this sudden happiness? Has the news of Irenicus' sudden demise been made public today?" he tried to grumble.

"Yes, I love you too" she answered frivolously.

"W-what?" he choked. Then it got to him that it was a phrase. "You should be more careful of your surroundings" he desperately tried to distract her. He wasn't prepared for something like that. "Messing my hair won't save you from an assassin."

"If you say so." She smiled again, with eyes sparkling with mischief and something more. He felt himself blushing again.

"Daria, I have no idea why are you wasting your time on this wimp" Viconia found it appropriate to invade their private corner of the bench.

"He saved my life more times than I can count Viconia. He's not a wimp." Daria cut off calmly before the dark elf could continue.

"Clearly he's not capable of serving a woman in bed. I don't know…"

"Is this how you make friends dark elf?" this time Jaheira interrupted her. "By insulting everybody who comes near?"

"I would never even think about trying to befriend you, mongrel" Viconia sent a sharp retort. "Even though indeed they say trained dogs serve better."

"They're starting again" Daria whispered to Xan. "I think it's time to find ourselves a better place to be."

"I'm sorry…" she apologized in a secluded corner of the training room, separated by a wall solid enough for no dagger or sharp word to penetrate accidentally. She apologized to him often, but then again just as often she did something she'd have to apologize for.

"It is not your fault. Viconia seemed to have chosen me for a target practice for her insults." Xan sighed mournfully. It was to be expected that he would be a perfect target for drow's verbal attacks.

"I'll ask her to stop, but I doubt she will listen. It's just the only way of communication with men she knows." Daria tried to justify Viconia before him, Seldarine knew why.

"I drearily hope that backstabbing isn't the only other way she can express her thoughts. Why did you accept her in the group in the first place?"

"She had nowhere to go. I couldn't cast her out."

"But of course you could. Tales about the drow aren't only made up by vicious fanatics" he stopped seeing her apology forming in her face. "But then again I may be wrong and we will benefit from her presence. Though, I truly can't imagine how."

"Thank you for the vote of confidence." Daria came closer to embrace him. He loved her tender touch, the way she fleetingly glanced at him before put her head on his shoulder. He held her back savoring the moment. It wasn't a friend's hug anymore. Maybe it never was.

She sighed quietly in his arms. 'She will die one day and what will you do then, fool?' Xan wondered. More than ever he wanted to kiss her. He lowered his head…

"The Shadow Master is waiting for you" a thief came into the room, interrupting them even though they were covered behind the wall. Xan couldn't shield himself from the flood of disappointment. The moment passed… Daria freed herself from the embrace, with their eyes meeting for only a split second, and walked after the thief. Xan followed her as they resumed on their way to the Shadow Master.

"I expected you yesterday." Aran Linvail stated with a note of reproach the moment she entered, leaving her friends in the corridor.

"We had a bit of an interruption." She tried not to show any emotions as she made a simple excuse.

"So I heard." His eyes were even colder than usual when he glanced at her. She didn't like the look he was giving her, just like he was his property, bought for his money. "I was informed that the full moon is the best time for diviners to precognite. I was planning to use this time to prepare the assault on the crypts below the graveyard district, where the vampires and their leader Bodhi is hiding. I assumed you could help me with this task."

"I can make basic plan of the underground using divinations. I can also see into the future, but it will be only a possibility of what happens." Daria explained curtly.

"Good. You will stay in the guild for tonight" the Shadow Master stated, with what should be shown as an example of casual tone of not taking 'no' for an answer.

"I can divine in my Sphere and write down the results." Hair on the back of her neck rose, when she tried to suppress the seed of anger growing inside her. She was not a thing! No one was going to decide for her!

"We will waste no more time. Either you stay and divine or walk away. We won't help you finding Imoen in this case." Aran posed an ultimatum, already assuming she was going to fold.

The diviner glared at him angrily, but knew she was helpless. She already paid too much to withdraw and she had no other way to find where Imoen was kept. "I have no assurance that you will help me even if I cooperate" she stated, with only slight trace of bitterness.

"There's no need for such tone, truly" Aran Linvail smirked. "I informed you that divinations are included in our deal and believe me when I say that I'm about to fulfill every part of it, not only these which suits me. Once the undead guild and its leader, vampiress Bodhi, won't pose any more threat I will guarantee you a safe passage to where Imoen is located and a trip back of course. No swindle will take place, you can check."

"I'll stay in the guild. But there are some things I will need." Agreeing was her only choice. At least she mattered to him enough that he still wasted time trying to assure her of his good intentions.

"Name them" the Shadow Master mocked her with false joviality.

Xan was already waiting in a spare room of the guild, shifting warily among well-chosen furniture. After all he was on the list of 'things' she needed to make a long-distance divination.

"What's happening?" he moved to her once she closed the door behind her. He barely raised his voice over a whisper.

"I'm to make a divination of the vampires' hideout. I'm sorry I didn't give you much choice in helping me. In few minutes a scribe will come, who will write down all I say and that a map maker, who will try to create a map, based on it. You'll have to help me as an anchor."

"I know, but… is everything all right? I thought you learned how to use other's heartbeats. Then, at the glade, with Anomen…" Daria caught a false tone in Xan's voice as he pretended to ask casually.

"I tried, but for naught. I can only use your heartbeat, so I just sharpened my hearing to hear it from where you were sitting. I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

"Daria, it was dangerous! If I walked off from your hearing range…"

"Surely you wouldn't do that to me!" she raised her voice in a jesting outrage. She put her both hands on his shoulders, seeing he wasn't just going to let it pass.

"Daria, please don't joke. If something would happen to you… I wouldn't be able to live knowing that because of me…"

"Xan, nothing happened. I'm all right" she reassured him, stepping closer. The scribe, or the Shadow Master himself could enter any moment, but somehow it didn't mattered all that much to her. Xan looked back at her, calming slightly. His arms surrounded her waist as they faces became closer.

"I didn't tell you, I didn't answer you last night" he continued, now looking only at her. "You know how I feel about you. Do not risk yourself unnecessarily."

"Is it so hard to say it?" she teased him lightly, placing a soft kiss on his chin.

"Daria… I love you."

And they kissed.


	35. Through Treacherous Crypts

„**Through Treacherous Crypts and Darkest Dungeons …"**

The reliefs on the walls of the crypt only below the ceiling were peculiar enough to catch her interest. Of course most of them was wiped to almost completely plain stone by the influence of time, or covered by a sticky veil of giant spiders' web that made their lair so close to the vampires, both multiplying to threatening numbers, but the large part of the in-wall sculptures survived, and still described the burial rituals from the times when these crypts were only being built. Daria wasn't sure, but it might have been the Bhaal's holy symbol, a scull surrounded with tears, sculpted above the entrance to the inner crypts, massive stone doors that no living creature could open. But then again it could be only her imagination. She was a bit oversensitive on the subject after all.

Spiders were chitterling in the darkness, but these didn't pose any danger to them, none much bigger than the elf's palm. The giant spiders and their many cousins, even one wraith spider, were already only ugly carcasses they left on their way to reach these gates. It was the inconvenience of the road they were assigned by the Shadow Master, as the second group to attack Bodhi's lair from below. The third group followed their track to secure the gates and make sure no undead escapes from the assault, while the first was waiting on the surface of the Graveyard District, waiting for the first light of dawn, a signal to begin their attack.

"They will attack us instantaneously the moment we open the door" Daria pointed out.

"I know what I'm doing girl" Haz, the elderly human mage and the leader of their group in one person, grumbled at her, but moved their positions to closer to the walls, with his expression saying clearly that he was going to do it anyway. Daria's companions and three other Shadow Thieves that together formed the second group moved at his command.

The leader of the third group was a calm assassin, Zynthis. He and nine other professional assassins and trap-masters were waiting in utter silence for the signal to attack that was to be passed to Haz telepathically. According to the plan they were only to help in the initial attack on the lair, and then stay and guard the gates, while the first group wandered into the tomb to meet up with the first in a chamber, which Daria divined to be where the coffins in which the vampires slept were placed.

Daria finished studying the reliefs and joined her team, knowing that the dawn was coming near. The claustrophobia didn't bother her anymore. After her obligatory stay in the Sphere she got used again to the close spaces.

The party seemed tense and ready. Valygar stood calmly with his katana's drawn, glaring at the stone golem Haz brought to open the gates for them from time to time. Yoshimo stood next to him, with his hand close to the quiver full of arrows enchanted with fire bought specially on the occasion. Jaheira was keeping an eye out for Minsc, who seemed to be on the verge of berserker's rage, eager to cut vampires to very small pieces. Viconia for once didn't bother anyone, muttering her prayers in a corner.

Xan stepped nervously between Daria and the stone gates. He surely wasn't going to watch another vampire attacking her. Tender feelings woke in the sun elf's heart as she watched the enchanter, but among the Shadow Thieves, minutes before an attack on a vampire's hideout there was no time for affections.

A vision of the sunrise Daria saw very sharply. A thief, leader of the first group, gestured to a mage standing by his side to send a message to groups below.

"Get ready" she whispered in the dead silence of the tomb. Haz threw her an irritated look, but didn't have time for a vicious comment, because the telepathic signal reached him. He ordered his golem to open the gates, grumbling something incoherent under his nose.

The golem, heavy beast made of stone, didn't bother with the handles. It charged at the gates smashing through them with all its weight and the noise that obviously woke the dead from their slumber. A cloud of dust unmoved for almost a century rose to cover everything from the view and got into their lungs. No one dared to charge blindly in to the undead nest after the golem.

The screen of vision was clearing slowly. From the twirling bits of dust emerged a silhouette of a golem, defending itself from shadowy figures, leaping at it from every side. Heavy stone fists were always too late to hit an agile body of a vampire, moving in the graceful dance of a hunting predator. The two groups stood silently for a second, mesmerized by the undead's grace.

The charm was broken immediately when vampire's long nails left a long line on the golem's torso, a slash that would easily gut a man. The thieves and Daria's party moved silently to join the battle.

A deeper look into vampire's eyes might hypnotize, but the thieves didn't stop to take deeper looks. They attacked from the shadows, stabbing vampires in their backs, and disappeared again in the darkness that spawned them with a trained precision. Not all Daria's companions had their ability, but instead they had magical helmets and swords, which shielded their minds from unwanted intrusions. They were to take the brunt of the fight.

Minsc moved ahead, breaking through to the besieged golem, hacking and slashing through everything that got in his way. His berserk's cry shook the walls of the crypt and seeded fear in the dead hearts of his enemies as he cleaved through them with speed and fury he could only unearth when fighting their kind. Fire spells and arrows sowed chaos among the vampires who tried to surround him.

The battle was fierce, but short. It ended rapidly with the death of the last vampire, which disappeared becoming a cloud of white smoke the moment Minsc's sword pierced its heart. There was only one casualty on the side of the Shadow Thieves. Haz, the leader of the second group, was to remain in the crypt forever.

Daria's team exchanged looks of distrust with the remaining three thieves that were assigned to help them, while Zynthis and his assassins secured the chamber and prepared it to be defended in case any undead slipped through Daria's group on their way, or decided to come from the lower crypts. The leader of the second group was dead and there was no chosen substitute.

"What do we do now?" the blonde trap-master named Krin asked a question that was the closest thing to a declaration of loyalty he could say.

"We go left, as planned" Daria pointed the narrow passage out of the chamber. "This way we'll meet with the first group in half way, in a chamber with the coffins in which the vampires sleep during the day. Then together we'll return here and go right, to the lower catacombs." She glanced at the passage leading right.

The three thieves nodded and melted into the darkness of the tomb. They'd come, should they be needed.

Infravision was useless when looking for the undead, since none of them produced any heat, so they had to light the torches they had prepared and use the spells. Daria walked in the front of the group trying to scope every shadow with True Vision her divinations granted. She even tried to keep an eye out for the ceilings, looking for vampires hidden there in forms of bats.

A second attack came while they were crossing another chamber, filled with luxury couches and pillows sewed with golden thread. Daria didn't give a warning, busy puking after seeing a bath full of human blood and if not for Valygar standing on the guard they'd be taken completely by surprise. And even though the ranger did shout the warning the swarm of vampires and their fledglings attacked with astounding fury striking with feral blows the enchanted armors of the warriors only barely resisted. Most of the attacking undead were already wounded, most likely escaping from the assault of the first group, but in only served to brace their blood lust, making them hungrier and more vicious.

"We have to hold!" Daria screamed when her companions and the thieves began to be pushed towards the exit, even though her own magical defenses were already fading in a threatening speed under random slashes from the enraged undead. "The first group is coming! We have no chance if we'll be pushed to the corridors!" Fighting one-on-one only Minsc would have a chance to defeat a vampire, but even he would be blocked in a tight corridor with a low ceiling. Not to mention that no arcane support of archery could help when the enemies were so close. Their only hope was to hold.

Always on the move, cutting or clubbing the undead flesh her companions began to form a circle, shielding each other's backs, with Xan and Yoshimo in the middle, protected from the undead's grasp as they shot and chanted. Jaheira's favorite fiery sword appeared in her grasp, lighting the chamber with its living fire and making all the undead flinch from her. What was mad fighting to survive gradually became a coordinated defense.

Daria couldn't break to the circle, separated from her friends by a blood-hungry vampiress with promise of quick death gleaming in her red eyes. She didn't attack the diviner at once, looking at her like a cat wanting to play with a mouse.

"Come…" she purred and leapt at Daria. The diviner answered her sending a spray of fire into her face, making the vampiress shriek in agony. Daria didn't stop to look how much damage she dealt. Her last stoneskin finally gave up and staying in the chamber without any protection would be like going for a drink to a night bar with a vampire. She turned on her heel and began to run though one of the corridors before any other blood-sucker had any chance to seize her.

She heard steps behind her, loud steps of someone alive running, not the quiet shuffle of a vampire almost gliding above the ground. She slowed down to check who it was, or rather slowed down because she was already too exhausted to keep up the tempo. If she was to have any chance in a fight stopping was the only alternative she considered.

"It's me, Krin. I got separated too" the sound came from the darkness when the steps quieted. Only using a True Vision Daria managed to distinguish thief's silhouette, even though an enchanted brooch she wore held a quite strong Light enchantment. "It's not the corridor we came from, but it slides downward, so it can't lead to the surface. Where are we?" he asked.

The diviner quickly scanned through what she remembered from her divinations about the place. "We must have broken through a secret passage. These are the lower crypts! We're in great danger!"

"_Indead_ you are" a low feminine voice came from the shadows, with a light trace of mock, as if its owner found a particularly interesting bug and now was planning an equally interesting way to crush it. As one, Krin and Daria turned to face its owner. The thief tried to draw his sword…

"Too slow!" The vampiress shot like a lightning from the shade, cutting his throat before the blade left its sheath. She held up to now limp body of the thief and moved her lips to the bloody wound. And began to feed.

Daria looked at the vampiress entwined with her victim, too terrified to move, her legs heavy as if made of lead. She would end like that in a moment, not fast enough to escape. In panic she considered for a moment to throw herself with her fists at the undead, but that'd be purely laughable. She had no spells to harm such a foe, no weapon, no means to defend… 'There is one spell!' she recalled quickly.

The diviner began to chant madly, gesturing with her trembling fingers and singing the words of the spells with her quivering hoarse voice, only barely squeezing them through her clenched throat. Mere seconds was all she needed for a chance to win her life, before the undead predator finished its disgusting feast.

She finished. Magic light flashed three times lighting the chamber opening before them and then… faded to nothingness. Daria saw the vampiress looking at her with amusement on her slim beautiful face, blood dripping from her chin. She could kill the elf easily before she managed to finish her chant, but she wasn't going to spoil the game so soon. She casually placed her bare foot on Krin's body lying on the floor of the crypt.

"Daria… why the tricks? I was hoping we could have a nice civilized conversation." The vampiress licked fresh blood from her lips, with her eyes piercing through the elf before her with both viciousness and amusement. "I know so much about you… Your every little nightmare and fear, every skeleton you hide in your closet… I know how everything slides through your fingers… even Imoen did." Daria barely heard the words, deafened by her loudly beating heart.

In one fast movement the vampiress shot forward to grab the diviner by her throat and lift her in the air, only Daria already wasn't there, frantically dodging the outstretched clawed arm and rolling under it to stand behind the undead with longsword drawn from Krin's sheath. Daria raised the weapon in an offensive stance she'd never suspect herself of knowing.

"I happen to know few facts about you too, Bodhi" Daria muttered, finally fighting the fear.

"Oh… A kitten wants to play." Bodhi bared her long pointed teeth and attacked again with her nails, sharp enough to cut through a stone golem. Once again Daria dodged with equal speed, using the sword to cut low, forcing the vampiress to back off.

"Then play we will" Bodhi hissed, now aiming to more than just scare her opponent. She bounced lightly from the ground jumping into the air to fall on it prey. Daria moved from her way, but the undead mistress immediately followed her, attacking with a series of lightning fast slashes.

A light sway of hips in the right moment, bending two inches left and then down - Bodhi's long nails didn't even leave a single tear on Daria's long and loose robes when they danced the mortal dance astounding to a common man, when every misstep meant death. The diviner read her foe perfectly, dodging every slash and cut, already preparing for another before it even came. Her longsword was useless on such a close distance, but defense wasn't enough if the elf wished to walk out of this fight alive and waiting before Tenser's marvelous alteration loses its strength wasn't the wisest of choices.

Battle raged in Daria's veins as instincts she never had, guided the weapon she never knew how to wield to strike her opponent. She raised Krin's sword in a sudden counter-attack, cutting deeply into vampiress thigh with strength of a magical berserk's rage. Cold liquid poured from the wound, but the diviner didn't stop the move, spinning in place and lifting the blade to decapitate Bodhi. The vampiress fell backward literally last moment, bounced from the ground with her hands and ended the cartwheel few feet further.

"A good game, godchild!" She laughed, seeming delighted despite dark blood streaming down her calf. "…though it bore me already. We shall meet again." With these words Bodhi disappeared, taking a form of a bat.

Daria followed the vampire-bat's flight with her eyes, but she couldn't chase a night creature in this form. Magical energies were still flowing with her blood adding strength to her muscles and sturdiness to her bones, but soon they'd extinguish, leaving her defenseless and she'd rather be among her friends by then.

"Labelas Enoreth guide your soul" the elf whispered over Krin's body, bloodless just as Haz's. Even if resurrected only bleak existence of a vampire would await them. Daria cast a last glance behind her and began to run, this time in the direction of her companions.

When she reached her friends the battle raging in the chamber has already ended. The place looked like if a carnage took place there, with walls and floor sprayed in red, but Daria didn't have the chance to scope it fully because Xan took her in a tight embrace the moment she entered, burying her in his purple robes. She returned the hug feeling his heart slowing its rhythm from maddened beating to hasty tempo, while her sped up even more after the run. Their skin was connecting, his face being so close to hers and Daria began to feel her cheeks burning. She tried to look over Xan's shoulder to see the rest of her party…

"No, don't look" Xan obscured the view, standing before her face. Only now she realized he's injured, a long cut on his arm still bleeding. She touched his arm making Xan grimace in pain and directed her minor healing abilities coming from her heritage to stop the bleeding and close the wound.

Xan sighed, apparently relieved of the pain, and looked at her with a bit more awareness. "Daria… we… we had casualties."

"Jaheira…" Daria instantly knew, recalling the horoscope she made for her foster mother. She pushed through the enchanter, looking around the room crowded with the living and noticing… noticing…

Jaheira was lying motionless before a wall, along with two other thieves from the first group, placed there by their comrades. Her magical armor withstood the attacks of the undead only breaking once, revealing a vulnerable spot at druidess' side, enough for a clawed hand to use a moment of her unawareness to kill her. Now she was just…

Daria walked up to where the druidess was laid on stiff legs slowly refusing to carry her. She fell on her knees and touched the cold thing that had been Jaheira, that had been a mother for her. She felt like a rat closed in a burning box, trying to deny something she couldn't escape from, something that was hurting like a living fire, killing her inside.

Someone's careful arms began to guide her away from Jaheira. It sobered her enough to realize that it wasn't possible she'd let something like that sip from the net of her divinations. She always knew when something bad was going to happen to her friends. They could trust her! She would keep them safe! She promised! And if she wouldn't… there was the emergency plan. She shook the arms holding her off, trying to get to her pack. Xan tried to hold her again, keeping her in place despite her attempts to break free.

"Leave me alone!" she screamed in his face. He let go. She saw so much pity and hurt in his eyes that what was left of her sanity woke to release the tears from her eyes. She searched through her pack, struggling with all her strength not to collapse at the spot and burst into miserable tears.

The last chance, what remained if she would fail, if the worst happened. She never had to use it, she didn't even know if it worked. A spiral white rod, enchanted piece of wood, said to be able to bring back the dead, bought on her first visit in Adventurer's Mart. Daria pointed it at motionless body of Jaheira, her hands stiff like a stone in fear that if she trembled she'd waste this one spell, the last chance, and she spoke the activation word.

The scent of powerful healing magic filled the air and a blue-white glow surrounded the half-elf. And then Jaheira sat rapidly, taking a sharp inhale of air, with her wide eyes looking for the vampire that killed her. Then she noticed she was sitting on the ground and that the hole in her armor showed healed scar tissue on her side.

"What…?" she asked astounded.

The Rod of Resurrection fell from Daria's hands and she leaped at Jaheira, holding her while laughing like a maniac and crying at the same time. The whole party stopped the dispirited process of bandaging each other's wounds and casting healing spells and cherished a little miracle, one of very few moments to celebrate in adventurer's life.


	36. Shadows of Brynnlaw

„**Shadows of Brynnlaw"**

The sea was easy to like. The breeze on the main deck was always fresh, a pleasant change from the stale air of the Sphere and even more pleasing when compared to the smell of the over-populated city. The lower boards began to stink before the end of the second day of the voyage, but refreshment was always only few steps and a deck away for anyone who would wish to take a deep breath of scent of the Sea of Swords. Among the waves the Sun was warmer and the stars closer. One could spend the whole night watching the constellations on the night's sky, unperturbed by anything or anyone. On the sea the gods were speaking through the stars.

The seasickness was the only enemy they had to face on the board of ship Galante. None from Daria's team spent a lot time on a ship before and even Jaheira with her close bond to nature could stoically withstand the constant rocking of the wooden board. But they were finally going to save Imoen. This thought alone was enough to look forward with joy.

Not one of them, not even Minsc could say with clear conscience that had no doubts that the Shadow Master would keep to his end of the deal, but that he did. The Cowled Wizard's prison was located on one of the pirate islands of the Sea of Swords, built in secret by a guild of gondites and accessible only by Wizards' teleports or a ship. Aran Linvail came out with a solution, buying the loyalty of an eccentric pirate captain Saemon Havarian and his crew from the ship Galante. It didn't completely eradicate all the suspicions the party had towards the Shadow Master, but helped calming wariness of most of them.

They departed the day after an assault at the vampires' guild, time they needed to make the provisions, close the Sphere and, in Jaheira's case, recover after few minutes of being basically dead. The druidess categorically refused to be a reason of any further delay and was yelling at anybody who came near, just to confirm that he was feeling as good as always. The only time a smile was appearing on her face was when she was looking at Xan and Daria, sitting together on the main board.

There wasn't much place for privacy in the limited space of a ship, but Daria managed to sneak close to Xan often enough for a quick hug, just to whisper few tender words to his pointy ear. It wasn't to last forever, she knew. Something would happen to lead to a vision she had in the druid's grove, but it didn't bother the diviner too much. Maybe they'd go their separate ways, maybe she'd be no more… But the future was distant and she had the next day, next week and maybe even a year just for her, just for them, when she could hold his hand and watch a sunset or sunrise from the board of a ship. Wasn't it enough? She could lean on him and put her chin on his shoulder, tell him she loved him and he would answer 'I love you too' or just sigh and kiss her gently, no matter how many times she'd say it. It seemed to be the happiness she sought for so long.

Valygar and Yoshimo stopped plotting, after a while Minsc as the last one of the team got used to the rocking of the waves, and Jaheira didn't yell at everybody anymore, completely healed. Only Viconia was as always bitter, muttering that males shouldn't be trusted every time Daria got near.

Coming on the ground from the board of Galante Daria decided she was going to like the sea.

She was never going to like the pirates though, she knew instantly after Saemon Havarian disappeared in a light of a portal, leaving them at the mercy of vampires, already waiting for them in the darkness of the dock. Pirates were known of their lack of any loyalties and this was no exception from this rule. The Shadow Master was to be thanked for bribing such an unexceptional specimen, but to do that they'd have to find a way back to Athkatla first.

But it wasn't why they came here, and now that after so many trials they finally faced their destination, Imoen was the only person Daria was planning to worry about. But to do that, she had to get into the Spellhold, a place where illegal mages were brought to disappear, and it wasn't an easy task.

But compared to all the things they did so far, how hard could it get?

Galante was docked safely in a small dock of Brynnlaw, a pirate town perched at the edge of an island somewhere south to Athkatla. It appeared to be a friendly place, but as far as Daria knew Havarian seemed friendly as well, just until the moment he betrayed them. Deeper into the island, where even pirates didn't dare to venture the murky construction of the Spellhold, an Asylum for mentally instable mages, was daring Sun's glow to light the everlasting shadows of this place. Only the highest spire of the building could be seen from Brynnlaw.

The day so joyfully began with facing vampires just before the dawn, the party spent gathering gossips and tales about the Cowled Wizards' sanctuary, listening to drunken sailors' talk and buying drinks in the only tavern in the tiny town. By afternoon they had a long list of unfathomable and often impossible things wizards were said to do to their prisoners behind the stone walls, and only two possible ways to enter.

An island ruled by pirates had to have a pirate king, the one keeping the anarchy in reasonable boundaries under his chaotic set of laws. In Brynnlaw ruled Desharik, and as the only account of what passed for law for the pirates, he had a deal with the Cowled, stating that the two groups, the pirates and the inhabitants of Spellhold, would not meddle in each other's business under normal circumstances. In exchange for all the provisions regularly delivered to the asylum Desharik could from time to time trust the wizards with taking care of mental condition of a suddenly maddened pirate, who only accidentally also had an ambition of becoming a new pirate king. The truce was all the Cowled Wizards needed from the pirates and neutralizing trouble makers who wanted to destroy the stability on the island could only be counted as another profit.

Starting a rebel meant to endanger Desharik and force him to use his connections with the Cowled, to put Daria's party into custody, would took too much time and resources, it would put them all in a mortal danger, not to mention that all they'd achieve would be ending behind the bars of an Asylum. Bribing the pirate king was a much more reasonable alternative and Daria quickly employed her divinations to discover what a rich and powerful pirate would take in exchange for showing them a way to enter the dark asylum.

After she got from the bushes, where her vision squeezed all food out of her more successfully than the seasickness, the diviner declared flatly that they were not going to make any sort of deal with Desharik or the pirates, and they would try the other way they heard about. She wouldn't say a thing about what she saw no matter who and how asked.

The other hopefully valid information they managed to extract from the sea of gossips flooding Brynnlaw was that on the north end of the port, in a hut separated from other dwellings, lived adept Perth, a rarely used official voice of the Cowled Wizards in town. The man, who was said to be just as mad as any inmate of the asylum, was never leaving his hut, spending days practicing magic or conducting dreadful experiments. And what was more important he was known to be the only person on this side of Spellhold walls that possessed a key to its doors, and a warding stone to its defenses.

The meeting with adept Perth was bloody, though they knocked at the doors and asked politely for what they needed. The mage was completely unreasonable, nearly as mad as the gossips said. But they were too close to their goal to hesitate now. Daria took the ward stone from his cold fingers feeling very little remorse.

'It is the last night we spend without Imoen' the diviner though, lying on the bed in her room on the second floor of the tavern. 'Tomorrow everything is going to change for better.' She relaxed opening herself for any vision that would come.

It wasn't possible, it couldn't be possible… She wanted her year, or a month, or maybe at least a week of it… It shouldn't be like that!

It shouldn't… couldn't be like that…

She threw the runes up again, the eleventh time since the vision and bent over the pattern. It didn't change. It was a horror, an irony…

Her hands trembled when she gathered the runes into her grasp. The stones fell between her fingers and she pressed her palms to her forehead trying to wake up from this insane dream. She didn't have a year, a month or a week. She had a day of life. She wasn't going to leave the Spellhold alive.

The others… what would happen to the others? A new fear stabbed her in a heart. Was she going to lead her friends to their death again? Was there any way of going back? She picked the rune stones from the table, knowing what she had to do, was seeing all the lines of future weaved into a loop around her neck.

"Come in Yoshimo."

The bounty hunter entered through the door he was only trying to hear anything through, with an easy smile on his face, as if he'd just been caught on an innocent prank. All this time he was deceiving them with his smiles, calling them 'his friends'…

"Sit down, please" she asked, feeling old and worn out all of sudden. Fatigue and bitterness wormed its way to her bones, staining her face. "Don't say a thing. Just listen" she cut when he opened his mouth. A cheery smile not for a second disappeared from his lips.

"I know. And I know why. And I think I understand…" Her voice broke at the end of the sentence. She coughed awkwardly to clear her throat. "You were sent to gain our trust and spy on us, to keep us safe until we reach the Spellhold and then deliver me to him." Only now Yoshimo stopped smiling, his face freezing without any expression, mute, and she could help but guess what he was thinking about. Maybe only how to escape, or maybe he was planning to win her mercy, trying to persuade her to spare her life. Geas wouldn't let him kill her, but some small part of her desperately wanted to believe that not only the spell was stopping him from doing that.

"The harm is done and my fate is sealed. Tomorrow we will enter the Spellhold and nothing will go as we planned. I will be captured, but not by you. Your influence on my future ended and nothing you'd do or not wouldn't stop what is meant to happen, that's why no one will learn about your betrayal yet." Yoshimo reacted on these words, his eyes widening as if he didn't understood what she said. Daria continued, trying to withhold the fear that if she stops she'd lose the last ounce of control over the future and last piece of what the stupid called bravery.

"The trap already closed and there are no means for rescue for me. All I can do now is to protect the others, but for that I need you." She took at deep shuddered breath. "Once I'll be killed all geas conditions will be fulfilled and you will be free. Don't expect any reward from Irenicus. Flee. It's your only way to survive. The others will need your help to escape, but they will also try to avenge my death. In exchange for your life help them, leave a ward stone, a key to let them escape before you disappear. That's all I ask for."

Yoshimo closed eyes and covered his face with his hand. When he removed it the cheery smirk was back on his place.

"You can count on great Yoshimo, my friend." He winked, and though they both knew now how false his mask was Daria felt some strain leaving her, with the knowledge that though this friendship was fake from the beginning it also had something very true in it.

The bounty hunter left the room, whistling a cheery melody. Daria took a deep breath and sealed one more emotion in her mind.

Only minutes passed since he began to make himself comfortable, though it was futile endeavor at least, given the state of the hole meant to be his place of rest for the night, when he heard a gentle knock at what passed for a door in his 'room'.

"Come in" he asked out of habit, rummaging through all the scrolls he unloaded from his pack, which they liberated from adept Perth's hut. The hinges, that kept in place the piece of wood imitating door, creaked, but the floor didn't complain loudly that someone stepped on it. Whoever came had enough sense not to enter a room where two people could barely find enough place to stand by the bed squeezed by the opposite wall. Xan turned to see who was standing by the door and saw Daria, with almost nothing on her.

It wasn't that the sun elf was naked, no. She was dressed quite decently in light tunic and leggings, which probably belonged to Jaheira, but without a single amulet or magic ring on her. After countless attacks on her life she got used to wearing protective charms even in her sleep and a pirate tavern didn't strike him as a place safe enough to change this reasonable custom. The diviner didn't wear her thick black cloak or her heavy dark robe, so compared to her usual level of dressing she was practically unclothed.

She smiled gently, tenderly, when he turned to look at her. His gaze fell to her bare shoulders, but returned to her face almost at once. He certainly wasn't going to lose control over his reactions again, just like the last time she wore something lighter, in Trademeet.

"I can't sleep. Would you mind if I stayed with you for a while?" she asked, leaning on the doorframe. Xan glanced around his undersized abode. It only had a window, completely covered with dirt, and a bed, now buried under a pile of scrolls.

"Make yourself comfortable" he sighed, putting the scrolls back to his pack in even bigger disorder than before. He'd have to reorganize them first thing in the morning.

She closed the door behind her and sat on the bed, putting her arms around him. He held her back, just like he got used to during long hours of lazy boredom on the ship. They barely talked then, watching the clear sky, rarely choosing some neutral topic, like the weather of the arcane. Every serious conversation could lead to lead to painful matters and none of them seemed to want look too close into the future or past. Every thought could lead Xan to uncomfortable ones, like that he was only a remedy for a heart broken after Anomen's leaving, that maybe Daria wasn't old enough to know what love was. They both wanted to avoid awkward words so they spoke about the weather, thinking about clouds.

Daria kissed him on a cheek and then on the mouth, trying to stir him from his thoughts, demanding some attention. He kissed her back trying to shake of all the grim pondering. She helped him in this task pressing her body against his and deepening their kiss with boldness and lust he did not expect from her.

"Mmph… Daria… It might not be a best moment for that" he uttered through her lips, but she didn't reply. She was trembling in his grasp and he began to suspect that passion had nothing to do with it. He carefully guided her to sit back on the bed, feeling the taste of her lips even though the kiss has already ended. His arms closed around her, keeping the sun elf cuddled to his chest.

"I want this to happen" she whispered.

"Daria… dear… It's natural that you're afraid, I'd be seriously alarmed of you were not, but it's not a way to deal with it. After all these trials you faced to find Imoen don't let your courage desert you now. We will be lost without it. We will be lost most likely anyway, but…" Xan fell silent realizing he was straying from the subject and not really helping. He held her a bit closer. Usually she wouldn't be bothered by his realistic attitude, but for once he wanted to comfort her properly.

When after a while she didn't speak, neither her trembling subsided, he risked a look at her face. The sun elf immediately shifted to hide it from his view, but not before he saw tears silently flowing from her eyes in an unstoppable stream.

"Melamin… what's the matter?" For the first time he called her his love. His love was crying…

How could she tell him? She wanted to assure him that all that happened mattered, that _nothing_ was in vain. …that even if she died he'd find happiness again, after time. But for once she wanted to spare him the worry, the pain the future was to bring.

"Everything's going to be alright" she sobbed and he heard a sharp lie in her voice. He fell a chill rising up his spine.

"You saw something, didn't you?" he forced the question out.

"Spellhold is blocked from my sight… I see nothing." It sounded logical, but he knew her too well not to recognize when she was trying to hide something. A horrible thought struck him.

"Something's going to happen? Someone's going to… die?" he asked with empty voice, struggling to utter the last word. He didn't know, but somehow he suspected that she didn't come here because of fear of the unknown, but quite the opposite. He couldn't know what awaited them in the Spellhold, but of one she made him certain. It was a farewell.

"Answer me, please." Daria avoided eye-contact, but he took her face in his palms, giving her no other option but to look at him. And she looked like an empty husk of wild fear, a person staring straight into the face of death, seeing nothing behind it.

He buried her in his arms again, unable to watch the mind-taking fear changing her features into a mask. Together they were, holding to each other like two shipwrecks, only dragging each other deeper into despair, until the tiredness dulled their senses and welcomed them in its sleep. Hours might have passed, but it was like a blink of an eye, before a loud knocking sounded at the doors.

"Daria! I know you're in there!" A loud banging at the door woke them both up from this hypnotic sate, along with Jaheira's voice. "You haven't been in your room for the night! Could you both dress and come downstairs? We're waiting for you!"

She looked up at the majestic and sinister building rising on the cliff. It didn't look like it was fragile and easily washed up by the sea like the buildings in Brynnlaw. No, it had something terrifying and ancient about it, making it look like it was older than the cliff and the sea, like if it was a projection of madness itself, inhibiting these lands from the first breath drawn here by a conscious man, or even longer - madness waiting in this land to grip those who would only appear.

She tried to step forward, but her feet wouldn't listen to her. A gauge in her throat was throttling her, making it only barely possible to breathe. The scent of the sea, the soft caress of the Sun, the sound of the waves splashing at the shore… so sharp that it almost hurt, yet so sweet she couldn't stand the notion that it's the last time she feels them.

She was going to die in a moment. Her stomach lurched and she knew she wouldn't make even a single step. She was going to die and never feel those wonderful emotions, sense the word around her, exist anymore. She would crumble to dust and all that will be left of her would be an essence of her sire. Her knees weakened when she tried to understand that what was her would be destroyed in a moment and she simply wouldn't _be_ anymore.

Tears began to roll down her face. She wouldn't make a step. She wanted to live, more than ever, now that she knew her love returned. To jump into the water and feel the soothing cold burden of wet clothes on her skin, to swim as far as she could, to Athkatla even, it all seemed to be more possible than... than death.

"Don't fear Daria! The evil Irenicus will be the one to fall under the punishing fist of righteousness!" How wrong Minsc was…

"Child, I know it's difficult, but we shouldn't linger." Lingering is all she had left of life.

"From what I heard the dark magic of this Irenicus has caused enough harm already. He's all the evil of magic impersonated and we have to defeat him." _We_ wouldn't.

Yoshimo stayed silent, without a cheery mask on his face. He didn't need to pretend anymore. It would all be over soon.

Xan stood in front of her. When she raised her eyes at him she saw the reflection of her own fear and despair mirrored in his. 'We had so little time...' she only managed to think when he suddenly embraced her, burying her in his arms, and kissed her in the mouth fully, deeply. 'And so the last vision falls into place like a puzzle' she let herself being swept by what buried itself into her mind as a scent of magic forever. There were always some unexplained visions of the future ahead showing her, sometimes in strange situations, but now there was nothing, and all that remained was the end.

She caressed her beloved's face for a moment, tenderness silencing any other emotion.

"I'm ready melamin. I can go now" she whispered.

He didn't answer looking into her face as if he was trying to remember every detail of her features for the rest of his life. He probably did.

And then they entered the Spellhold together, walking arm in arm.


	37. Bedazzled

„**Bedazzled"**

Through the glass the room looked distorted, but Daria could still recognize various torturing equipment laying in neat order on the tables, along with the strange mechanisms the purpose of which remained unknown to her, even if not for long. The numb feeling after being knocked unconscious was still present and she was honestly thankful for that. At least she couldn't comprehend what was happening to her while in this indifferent state. It was the only luck she had, that she wasn't forced to fully understand what being captured by Irenicus again meant.

In other glass tubes like the one she was locked within, were trapped other inmates, but they either couldn't or didn't want to communicate with her. All of them appeared even more oblivious to where they were, crouching in their transparent cages, most muttering to themselves some incomprehensible gibberish. Irenicus was also present in the laboratory, reading incantations from a scroll over a machine of some sort. Seemingly checking everything one last time he looked around the room and then uttered the last power word.

One of the captured inmates yelled suddenly and fell on the bottom of his glass tube. Daria watched the last moments of his agony with terror finally breaching through the disorientation. One… Two… Three…

The second man screamed and fell just like the first one. The third rose from the ground and began to pound his fists on the glass. One…

"No! I'm not going to end like that!" he shouted through the glass.

Two…

"I don't want to die!"

Third second passed and he fell with a piercing scream. All of them died one by one.

One… Who was to die now? All the prisoners were already murdered by Irenicus' spell.

Two…

Ah, there was her.

Three.

She screamed sharply, feeling the spell drilling through her spine, the scream reaching even the higher levels of the cellars where they were captured, the cells of her friends. She screamed long and high, desperately, the scream of someone who wanted to wake up from a horrendous nightmare of this torment, and couldn't.

"All this time I was trying to unleash your potential I was relying on the blood of your father making you more vulnerable to certain emotions, should I say… urges" her captor stoically lectured her, watching with the sun elf with calm curiosity as she was trashing wildly in a glass tube, breaking her fingers desperately trying to grasp anything in the perfectly plain layer, trying to smash the enchanted glass. He had the look of a devoted collector, who was finally delivered an exceptionally rare species of insect to his collection and was now watching it move before sticking it with a pin.

"I realize now that it was a mistake." He paused to recite another verse of the spell.

She could barely yell through the pain tearing her heart and clenching her lungs. She didn't listen to a madman raving about his supposed discovery.

"Of course Yoshimo helped me in proper reassessing your personality" he continued, calmly. "Though indeed the taint of dead Bhaal is said to make its carriers more prone to violence, it also had an impact on your personality from quite a different perspective, all due to the fact that you were aware that your father was a god of murder, unlike Imoen." Irenicus looked down at his victim, now lying on the bottom of the glass cage, too tormented to even move, her muscles seizing in last moments of agony.

"It isn't anger that drives you, like it drives her now." The madman knelt by the tube, looking into her eyes. "Waking the taint inside her was much easier, but then again breaking you gave me so many more opportunities to learn." He moved even closer, now almost whispering to her ear through the thick glass, as if wishing for his face to be the last thing she ever saw. "You are driven by fear and guilt, child of god. And now your spirit is mine."

The world erupted in pain.

They say that your life flashes before your eyes before you die. Daria only saw Candlekeep, dead and forgotten as in her dream and just as empty. It was a graveyard of her childhood and was probably soon to become her grave as well.

Imoen was once again there, with dark rings under her eyes and tangled pink hair, as haunted as Daria saw her in the waking world, minutes before Irenicus emerged from the portal to seize them. Her dirty clothes probably seen the whole time her sister was imprisoned in the Spellhold, guarded at first by the Cowled Wizards, and then by the madman who captured her underneath the Waukeen's Promenade. Just like in Daria's dreams Imoen was standing beyond her grasp, only steps away, a distance impossible to cross for someone trapped in a nightmare. This time her sister recognized her however, her true sister by the rights of blood, not just a named one. Imoen had the taint of Bhaal flowing inside her veins, just as Daria, if what Irenicus said was to be believed.

"Where are you going? What is happening?" Daria cried, seeing her sister moving away. The landscape was surreal, but as real as anything else she could see, touch, smell. Candlekeep has never been an impossible maze for her. It wasn't a nightmare though, she could move, she could chose, she could curl into a ball on the ground, trying to get rid of everything, not to remember what was happening.

Imoen disappeared in the gates of the great library, hiding within the inner sanctum of the small stronghold, where all its treasures lied. Daria tried to follow her, but after she made the first step the world behind her trembled and disappeared into nothingness. Wherever she had to do, there was no way of turning back. She only had one choice to make, her last one.

The way inside the Great Library lead through sacrifice, she knew it subconsciously, but she didn't remember what she had to sacrifice to enter. The halls of the library were always dark, the monks didn't allowed the fire to be lit so close to the precious tomes, and little sunlight filtered through the narrow windows, but in her past the shadows were friendly, hiding her from others looking, and could be easily banished by a Light cantrip every mage who came to Candlekeep knew, the first spell Daria learned. Now the darkness was heavy and alien as if it belonged to someone else.

Years ago she could hide in those shadows, get lost for a day looking for books and her favorite novels, reading in secret until some of the monks found her and sent her to her classes. Her most beloved hideout was a blind alley bounded by heavy dark shelves made of dark wood, with dusted tomes of Alaundo prophecies, the only place in Faerun where all of them were gathered. Those prophecies weighted over her head since the early childhood, but then she felt the massive shelves were a protection.

The surrounding darkness blackened when _it_ came, and Daria's memories began to fade into dark and scary oblivion. _It_ was surrounded with the shape resembling Sarevok's armor, with long sharp spikes coming out of the metal, which he wore in the night of their battle underneath Baldur's Gate, but what was inside the armor certainly wasn't Sarevok. It was familiar, something she knew from the day she was born, but would only realize it was there if it disappeared. The instinct of murder stayed when her spirit was being torn from her, and now was filling the empty space.

"It's strong, but together we might have a chance." Imoen spoke, appearing inside her memories, though she looked that she wouldn't be able to even stand on her feet for long, even without anything attacking her. Daria didn't feel any better. Something was slowly tearing parts of her and stealing them away, taking them somewhere else. Her time was running tight.

There, in the place she felt the safest, under the shelves of Candlekeep library, with her sister, her most trusted companion Daria's mind made its final stand against Irenicus' spell stealing her elven spirit and the instinct of her father taking its place. The sun elf raised her palms to cast, hearing Imoen already beginning her chant.

Miserable Magic Missile was all she managed, before the thing cut her deeply, sending her on the ground. She wasn't bleeding, it was all happening inside her mind, but she had to watch as the thing somehow _absorbs_ Imoen, with blackness they both shared. And then her consciousness fell to pieces.

Her heart was beating and she was cold. All was quiet and not even Irenicus could be heard. There was no glass tube surrounding her.

She made an attempt of standing up, but failed. Her hands, arms, legs… all were functional, only she couldn't gather the will to move them. She began to wonder why she would need to move them at all.

"You will die Bhaalspawn…" Bodhi whispered to her ear. Even an attempt to flinch the sun elf couldn't manage, hearing the hiss just by her ear. What would the vampiress do here? Or was it only a hallucination? It felt like the reality ceased to be of any importance, swallowed by the nightmares.

"…But let it be an interesting death" the vampiress ended. A quiet flapping of a bat's wings was all the sound Bodhi made when disappeared in the darkness of the large labyrinth built underneath Spellhold. It was a present she got from her brother, her playground. And now she got a new toy to play.

Daria managed to stand up after a long moment. So much indifference… Captured by a madman and a vampire, trapped underground and being experimented on, she should at least feel fear, remember the torture, but no, nothing. Nothing inside her cared for what was happening.

Her friends… it took her a while to remember about them. Looking around she saw no one else but her, in a large chamber with high ceiling, with four corridors leading each in other direction, every passage equally narrow and dark, with thick layer of dust, not touched by a foot for years, covering the stone floor. No one was or has been in the chamber for quite some time. The vampiress left no footprints. Or maybe she was never there.

"Xan! Jaheira! Imoen!" Daria shouted without genuine conviction. To just stand and wait? Or to choose a corridor and began to walk? Where to get determination to do anything from?

She tried to make few steps forward and then stopped. Her legs didn't feel quite right, stiff and hurting. She must have lied on the cold ground for quite long. Come to think about it she remembered she broke at least two fingers trying to break through the glass tube. Looking down at her hands she realized fingers were indeed broken, bruised and swollen, only too cold to emit pain she'd feel though the numbness. Most likely she needed healer.

A corridor just like any other led her to another chamber, this on the other hand not as empty. Fragile bodies of dead mephits were stashed around it, with single carcass of a rakshasa smelling foul in the middle. The numerous bloody footprints on the dusty floor showed that whoever killed the monsters went through the passage to Daria's left. She decided to follow them. If it were her friends' maybe they could heal her, if it were not, then maybe at least it would make her be afraid it, feel anything. She tried to call her friends' names as she walked, but soon she lost the purpose of it.

She stumbled upon a camp the exact moment she lost the count of her steps. A poor shelter it was, just a corner shielded with dirty rags that barely passed for tents, with an orb of magical light floating in the middle, giving little warmth. None of her friends was asleep yet, though they probably tried to find some rest, huddled in their cloaks, without any camping equipment or bedrolls. Minsc was on the watch with his eyes vigilant despite the fatigue and some strange sadness, only once before present in berserker's eyes. It was the same as when Daria and Imoen found him in the cage in Irenicus' dungeon and learned Dynaheir's fate.

Imoen was with them as well, still looking haunted, but saner than before. At last her sister was within her grasp, but just as well it could be a total stranger sitting in her place, so little she cared. All her friends looked terrible, the maze and Irenicus' 'hospitality' already left its mark on them. Jaheira, with her hands clenched on the air, resembling hog's claws, Valygar staring into the shadows like if expecting someone to jump out of them, Xan, his face hidden in his palms…

Daria walked straight into their camp, from the darkness concealing her from their eyes. They would heal her, they would make her feel…

"Daria!" Jaheira as the first one noticed her. The whole party sprung to its feet, hearing the druidess' cry.

"Child, what happened? By Silvanus' horns you're freezing!" Jaheira moved to support the frailer elf, covering her with her blanket. Daria forced her eyes to move and look at her step-mother, and drew her broken hands forward. She couldn't do much more, she wanted to wait for her friends to make things right.

"Xan, make this damn fire stronger!" the druidess barked and the enchanter with his swollen eyes shining moved at her command. Viconia was already whispering something over Daria's bruised fingers. The sun elf didn't even flinch when the drow set the broken bones.

"Sis, I'm so sorry. You tried to save me and you almost…" Imoen whimpered by her side. The pink-haired thief threw another blanket around her shoulders. She didn't dare to touch her elven sister's hand, aware of the damage done to her fingers.

The fire bloomed rapidly, warming the whole chamber and lighting all its darkest corners. Daria was swept in someone's arms, warm after heating the fire, her head cuddled to a comfortable chest. Within her favorite heart pounded, and the warmth of the magic blaze finally reached her. A soft kiss got lost in her hair.

"Wow…" Imoen stared at Xan as if he grown an extra head, holding his sister definitely not in a way he used to before. "She finally blurted out to you, didn't she?"

The elf threw her an unknowing look, but didn't pay her much attention, all his thoughts centered on one he held in his arms.

He was afraid, terribly afraid. The fear was there all the time they spent in the inmate cells where the mad mage locked them, from the moment Yoshimo revealed his true intentions and the poison mixed with their food on the board of Galante stirred in their veins, or even earlier, when he followed Daria downstairs, on the morning when they entered the Spellhold with a real possibility that one of them could die inside. Closed in a cell with the rest of the party except for the treacherous bounty hunter and her, taken by the mad mage, he was certain that she'd be the one to die and this thought made him want to break his head on the stone wall. They all heard the distant cries of the tortured inmates and from the depths of his heart he wished none of these voices belonged to her, even if it meant she was no longer alive. All this time, by every scream, the fear was rising and rising.

And now he held her, feeling even more afraid than in his cell. Her hurt form was squeezed tightly in his arms and yet he felt nothing. There was only an empty hole in the Elven Spirit where she used to be.

'Undead!' all his thoughts screamed and he held her tightly, closing his eyes, praying he'd never had to open them and notice that her skin was grey, or the pointed teeth that were now in her mouth, the predatory glint a vampire could have in its eye…

"I can't breathe" she whispered and he had to let go of her. She took a deep breath and her skin wasn't much paler than before, there were no sharp teeth, no glint. And she still wasn't there.

"What have he done to you?" he whispered as loud as he dared.

Daria sobered only enough to hear Imoen answering the question.

"He took her soul."

The maze was a work of a madman, now inhibited by various beast and undead, brought here by Bodhi. If one wasn't already insane before descending into the labyrinth he could certainly lose his sanity along with his way in the countless secret passages and dark blind alleys of the underground. Daria stopped counting how many times a monster was spawned by darkness to interrupt them on their way out. Mummies, yuan-ti, umber hulks and kobolds, all these creatures found their home underneath the asylum. Vampires as well, Bodhi's offspring most likely, as mad as anyone who came too close to Irenicus.

The sun elf felt better, as much as she could without feeling anything. Jaheira covered her in new warm clothes, healed all her bruises and breaks and fed her with one of the edible creatures the party slew on its way. Safe, protected, cared for, Daria managed to slowly fight the shock and stutter about all what happened in Irenicus' laboratory.

She was dying, it took them some time to process the information. She was dying, but they still had time to rescue her if they managed to get out and intercept Irenicus, that was much easier to accept. It didn't matter that they didn't have any weapons, using what they managed to scavenge from the maze instead, the fact that the mad mage has already bested them twice didn't hold any meaning either. There was a chance to win yet.

Another corridor ended with a statue demanding an answer for a simple silly riddle they had to answer after tearing through a pack of werewolves. It was the tenth already. They were all beginning to doubt that there was an exit at all, but no one dared to speak it out loud. But then a faint breeze of the sea reached to stroke Daria's skin, as if it came through a window somewhere before them…

They entered a large hall with a huge statue of a Minotaur standing in the middle.


	38. The Rage

„**The Rage"**

All was still, unmoving. The giant minotaur, with his both horns broken, was a statue and he didn't charge at them with its heavy-looking stone hammer to stop them from reaching an exit, he didn't move at all. The closed door behind the statue didn't dance to the rhythm of an invisible draft of fresh air that they felt on their faces, it was far too weighty to move guided by the wind. And Bodhi with two of her minions, standing by minotaur's oversized stone hooves didn't move either.

The cold fresh air bit Daria's lungs when she took a sharp intake of the breeze. Something was happening with her and the elf didn't know how to stop it. Fear was never so intense, but now she could feel nothing but it, making her knees feel like a jelly, her stomach seemingly coming to her throat. Scream never made it from her mouth only because she was too terrified to breathe. Only a second it took from the mindless state in which she could feel nothing, being guided by her friends like cattle, to being completely dominated by fear, born at the sight of Bodhi.

"Oh, I know I'm early" Bodhi smiled, showing her needle-like teeth, making a step forward, and Daria felt as if the vampiress was already by her throat. Sound of drawn weapons surrounded her at once, but that only made the predatory smile widen. "I promised my brother I'll clean after him, so here I am. Are you scared little Bhaalspawn?" The vampiress turned to the sun elf, leaning on the wall, her breathing accelerated to heavy panting. "You should be."

The same move as before, probably an instinct of a predator, guided Bodhi to leap through the room like a lightning to grip the small sun elf's throat. This time no Tenser's berserk could save Daria, she couldn't even follow the rapid movement with her eyes, only able to feel cold finger's closing her neck in an iron grip.

"No!" someone screamed. Minsc's sword, a crooked blade found in a pile of rubbish, bounced of the vampiress' skin without any visible effect. Imoen began to chant.

"LET GO!" Daria roared with the last reserve of her strength and will to fight, when the fingers began to crush her throat. And suddenly, only Bodhi mattered. Irenicus' sister, who took Imoen's soul, whose minions nearly killed Jaheira, who wanted to kill them all now. The fear disappeared like a blown candle. Only Bodhi mattered now. And she had to die.

Gathering the resolve Daria drove her hands forward trying to push the vampiress away, with surprising effect. A sudden blindness fell on her eyes, but that didn't matter, only Bodhi did, and the Bhaalspawn could still sense her, a cold undead force trying to back away from her. Daria wasn't going to let her escape that easily. She wasn't going to let her escape at all.

"Child of Bhaal? What happened to you?" the undead hissed, but nothing in Daria could listen to any spoken words anymore. All she knew were the surrounding beings – cold undead and still warm living. The fact that the cold ones were meant to die was so obvious that Daria wondered why Bodhi was even wasting her strength to speak.

A large scaled arm shot forward thrusting though an undead minion's heart. The creature that was once Daria crouched by the floor, balancing rapid movements with a lizard-like tail, covered in blood-colored scales. In a split second its jaws closed around second minion's neck.

"What is this?" Bodhi only managed to stutter before the monster was just a breath away from her. It didn't hesitate or wait, it wasn't a predator hunting for a pray knowing that one day it might be hunted as well. It was death itself, walking among the living and all it knew was murder.

No words or considerations could stop it and Bodhi brushed with death the first time since she embraced vampirism, changing into a bat moment before being cut by Bhaalspawn's claws. Not even a powerful undead like a vampire could take a hit like that and survive, her instinct told her, and she couldn't doubt them this time.

The blood-scaled monster howled in rage as she flew out of its range and Bodhi realized that the fact that the undead cannot feel any fear was a myth…

Her head hurt.

She tried to stop the dull throbbing inside her skull pressing her cold hands to her forehead, but that didn't work one bit, so she huddled herself in the corner of the large chamber in attempt to absorb some of the wall's indifference to pain. Her companions haven't stopped debating yet, even though almost an hour passed already since the Bodhi 'incident'. Each and every one of them was glancing cautiously at her every few minutes, probably making sure she wasn't doing anything suspicious behind their backs.

She shouldn't have a tail, she shouldn't be covered with scales, her arm shouldn't be so long. And it wasn't now that she calmed down, realizing her clothes were torn by spikes she shouldn't and _didn't_ have. Her senses returned to normal as well after a short moment of confusing whirlwind, leaving a tingling sensation confirming that whatever happened might very likely happen again.

Daria didn't mind. It made her strong, stronger than a coven-master vampire and its two minions, in a split second. The loss of sight and hearing – the two primary senses for an elf, was perfectly rebalanced by a mysterious new sense, allowing her to be aware of energies of the living and undead close to her, experiencing their emotions like scents. She was wondering about the exact extent and range of this new ability, already deciding to pursue it further. As for drawbacks… any impact the new manifestation of her taint had on her soul, couldn't possibly matter now.

It was strange. Bodhi almost killed her moments ago, and yet Daria never before felt so calm in the face of death. Her fear was like a memory from a childhood – she couldn't believe she felt something like that, either an hour ago, or ever.

"How do you feel?" Imoen crossed the chamber, passing the broken minotaur statue on her way, halting in assumingly safe distance from her sister. Looking behind the thief's back the sun elf could see all eyes were centered on her, watching her like judges would, rather than friends.

"My head hurts a lot." Daria answered the honest truth.

"You don't feel any emotions, do you?"

"My spirit was ripped to pieces and stolen from me" the elf said with unwavering calm. No, she didn't _feel_ any emotions.

"Sis…" Imoen hesitated. "You became the Slayer back then, an avatar of Bhaal. The taint must have taken control over you."

"Ah." Daria muttered, seeing clearly that Imoen expects some response. Her sister looked her with a mix of worry and terror.

"We have to take your soul back from Irenicus, the exit is near. Can you… Can you hold it back?" she whispered, maybe thinking that raising her voice would set off the transformation again?

The diviner lowered her head pondering on the question for a while. The tingling was still present, barely, but there, making her feel something akin to an extra limb now available to use. Recalling one of the meditation methods taught to her in Candlekeep she imagined a light, representing the ability, and then a strong hand closing around it, locking it firmly in its grasp. Why did she never ask why she's being taught meditations to regain control?

"I think I can" she answered turning to Imoen just in time to see her eyes becoming wide with fear.

"Sis? I can see you lips moving, but I hear no voice. Sis?"

All light disappeared as if the chamber was suddenly cloaked with Darkness spell. Daria leaned on the wall when the space around her span out of sudden. Her skin began to harden like a rock and her bones cracked, trying to fit the new form. Without anything to distract her Daria gave in to the sensation of her body melting and then solidifying in quite new shape, not an unpleasant feeling, but one almost impossible to describe. She screamed as spikes thrust out from her spine and torso, her fingers becoming sharp and durable talons. Blindness clouded her eyes for good, but she couldn't help wondering if she was wearing now the shape Sarevok was trying to imitate with his armor.

The inner sense stirred and woke, forcing her to look at the word from a new perspective in one astounding flash. Daria turned her blind eyes to her friends, smelling the air. It took her a moment to realize what she was feeling was actually what they felt.

Their clear-cut fear boiled blood in her veins, assuming she still had those. The Slayer crouched instinctively taking a defensive position, when weapons appeared in her friends' hands.

'What kind of abomination is that?' the elf felt a thought like a mental signal coming from Valygar, accompanied with pure contempt sticking to her like tar.

'We won't stop it with our current weapons' Jaheira considered almost coolly in her head, an image of a fiery sword forming in her mind as a preparation to cast a spell.

'Slayer' – the name was written all over their thoughts, a condemnation. It was like a dream she had long time ago, after learning who her biological father was. A monster, abomination, evil goblin, a tale to scare the little children – she was all that from a very beginning and could never become more. She unconsciously searched for Xan's thoughts, not even realizing how much it mattered for her what she'd hear

'Not her, never, not like that…' she felt thoughts dangerously close to hysteria. 'Not ever, her, becoming like that… I'd rather she died than…'

Slayer's roar shook the foundations of the asylum. So they'd rather have her dead?... Whispering behind her back, like if she was on her deathbed already, deciding her fate, debating her sanity. Was she herself still? Was it true? Was any of this real? A tension of not felt emotions gathered inside her and she felt that she'd explode if she didn't release it somehow. Something tried to restrict her arm, but she threw it off with the strength that sent Bodhi flying. She finally felt something… and it was… pain…

Her breath became short and she backed against the wall. Light began to make it through the black spots before her eyes. She saw Minsc leaning against the opposite wall, his armor in shreds, and Viconia patching up his arm, which looked like a pincushion with one giant blood-red spike still inside the wound. Valygar and Jaheira were trying to shield the pair from Daria while Imoen and Xan were attempting to summon an invisible wall to protect them from the monster… Berserker's blood was still pouring on the floor and some of it was on her hands.

But Daria didn't care.


	39. Waking in the Shadows

„**Waking in the Shadows"**

It took him long to wait for their reappearance, hours, maybe days, but something kept him from leaving just yet. He was a traitor without honor, a lowest servant of a mad wizard, not worthy to be paid gold, only promised with his life, and yet he couldn't leave and betray again because a word given to a woman, who was by all means dead now, and stayed only to aid people who'd gladly help him leave this world. Nothing would stop him from leaving, not geas most certainly, but instead of finding a way out of this cursed island he was creeping around his unwanted master, watching him from the shadows, keeping an eye out for the entrance leading to the depths of asylum underground. In his hand he held a key to the sealed gates of the Spellhold, stolen from not careful enough watch of asylum caretaker. And all of this, why?

_/In exchange for your life help them, leave a ward stone, a key to let them escape before you disappear. That's all I ask for/_

He covered face with his palm, trying somehow to compose himself from the madness, which seemed to be highly contagious on this island. He shouldn't be there, there was no logical reason for him to be there… His former companions would most likely attack him on sight, his employer didn't kill him yet only because of simple disregard and he was waiting for the former to show up just to betray the latter, which would guarantee a quick death sentence for him, no matter what result the conflict would have.

_/All I can do now is to protect the others/_

He rubbed his temples, trying to get rid of the words repeated over and over again in his head. Could it be that he charmed him somehow to help her? A very fitting punishment would it be, if he was enchanted to betray his master in return for betraying them to Irenicus because of the geas. It would make him nothing more than a plaything of the mages, but somehow it felt very fitting for his punishment.

He watched the battle from the shadows, not moving for an inch from his safe spot. Such indifference to Irenicus' fate could result in his death, but something seethed in him at the very thought that he'd come uncalled to help his master like a well trained dog. And the result… It was clearer to say that Irenicus was pushed back by the sheer strength by their despair than by careful strategy or even luck. The defeated mage cursed the victors, retreating through a portal and escaping a finishing blow. Tears and threats followed him, but all was vain. The victory was a bitter one.

_She_ stood on the battlefield, with her equipment retrieved from one of the storerooms he took care to keep open, among the bodies of the inmates they freed from their cells o help them fight Irenicus. She was clutching her wounded side, and breathed heavily, but lived. And she said…

_/Once I'll be __**killed**__ all geas conditions will be fulfilled and you will be free…/_

Didn't she mean killed by Irenicus? Or maybe… It would be too hard to say he would be the one to kill her, wouldn't it? She stood away from her companions, near the shadows, which could completely obscure his presence. It would be only too easy to sneak behind her back, no one would know he was coming. One stab under the rib, she wouldn't suffer, really… he would be free.

'She would see you through her divinations, obviously' he stated calmly, trying to decide what to do, despite the confusion stirring his thoughts. Maybe madness in here was indeed contagious. Or maybe it was a trap? The key was still in his hands, it would be very comfortable if she had it delivered straight to her hands, by the traitor who she must want to kill… Why would she possibly allow him to come that near?

Because she was dead already, because Irenicus killed her, only her body didn't realize it yet and kept on walking… Because she badly needed this key, for her friends, who would be trapped in the Spellhold without any way out without it, and because she was a person who lived and could die for her friends… Because he himself called her 'my friend'…

The knowledge of the future equaled the power to change it – it was one of those many sentences that made her laugh at him, saying that gossips and actual diviner's lore were two drastically different things. And then she told him what the future brought and gave him a choice to choose her destiny.

He stepped out of the darkness, heading towards her. Her eyes turned to him almost at once, but she didn't move or try to alarm her friends. Because her eyes were so empty…

'She's dead already anyway. You can at least end her suffering' he heard a voice in his head, surprisingly resembling Irenicus, that could only be the last shreds of sanity he possessed.

…

'If you run you may still manage to stab her and disappear before they notice you. Start running' the voice tried again, this time more persistent.

…

'She gave you the last moments of her life, it's not a murder! Her friends would be safe, that's what she wanted!' The voice screamed in his mind and Yoshimo couldn't keep silent this time.

"She gave me a gift and let me choose it" he muttered under his breath, trying to stop himself from raising his voice. So he was insane… But it didn't matter. "I can have either my life or my honor back!"

They all noticed him now. He drew his katana and charged towards Daria, trying to aim at the place that could be easily healed.

"Never give up, do you?" he screamed and stopped his blade just before cutting her flesh, only tearing through her already ragged clothes, giving Minsc an instant he needed to push him away from the elf and counterattack with his great sword.

"Ilmater take my heart…" he whispered his last words, falling at the dirty ground of Irenicus' laboratory, ran through with a sword. The final sight before his eyes was Daria and a lone tear rolling down her face, a tear she shed just for him, unseen by anybody else.

And so it all died. The love, the friendship, the closeness… Daria knew it was the end even before Xan approached her as she sat at the desolated square before the sinister construction of the Spellhold, ineffectively trying to feel refreshed by the breeze. At the first look at his face she could already tell what he was meant to say to her. It didn't sadden her, after all, just like Imoen said, she had no emotions.

"Daria, we need to talk. There's something I need to say and… you won't like it."

She opened her mouth to invite him to sit, but she couldn't produce a voice. She didn't use it since the second change, not even for casting. She coughed struggling against this strained muteness.

"I… I have come to a difficult decision and I want you to hear it. It's not going to work out between us" Xan whispered and she could see how much it cost him to say this. "I could not take your Slayer transformation lightly. This beast will tear me in two – sooner or later, one way or another…" His eyes wandered off to the sea, despite his efforts to look her in the eye. He looked as if he was reciting something he composed and memorized already, like a spell, a charm. "To hold you, to know that you may lose control any moment and rip my head off with a single gesture – no, I cannot live with this. I knew from the start that it will lead to no good, but I thought that if I _deluded_ myself at least for a moment, pretending that there's no such thing as a Moonblade, that Children of Bhaal are just a foolish myth, there will be something good of it as well… And you knew even before it happened, didn't you? You just couldn't tell me…" He didn't even look at her, he wasn't expecting any answer. After a moment he went on.

"I… thank you for not telling me, but this cannot go on. I'm sorry."

"Are you going to leave?" she asked calmly, without hoarseness.

"I will not abandon you. Irenicus… we shall get him, even if I have to die in the end. For what he has done, he will cease to exist. But I will not stay afterwards. To admire you and to be afraid of you at the same time… it will not end well."

"I understand" she said.

He walked away leaving her alone, and she followed him with her eyes feeling nothing inappropriate in it.

'Stay with me…' for a moment she wondered if she heard someone whisper, but it was only wind.

**End of Part I**

This is the end of Part I. Due to my away-from-civilization holidays Part II will begin in late August. In the meantime, I'd be happy to hear what you're thinking about the story so far.


	40. Tale of the Void

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Part II: „The Bhaalspawn"

"**Tale of the Void"**

Any attempt of rest was a torture. The peaceful respite of reverie just wouldn't come, no matter how desperately she tried to call it, and the trivial human sleep wouldn't surround her, dulling her senses enough to let her to rest. An empty hole she felt in her chest, where her heart should be and still must have been, beating appallingly, was consuming everything and gave nothing in return. No visions came anymore, no insights, no rest… all these were parts of her spirit and all she had left to call was the taint in her blood, but that would never make her sleep.

Rats were scuffling on the floor of the inn and none of them was Gooseberry. No matter how comfortable Daria tried to make herself, after two minutes the touch of the pillow and old blanket was more than unbearable and she simply couldn't take it anymore, couldn't stand to stay like that for gods knew how many hours before the dawn would mercifully come. And her heart was beating. Not even the noises of the rats could muffle this annoying pulsating sound in her ears, her whole head. If she could only make it stop…!

At last she gave up, leaving her room with door wide open and all her possessions left on the spot. She had no spirit, what could possibly some wretched scrolls and cheap trinkets mean? It could all burn, everything, just fade away… She went straight through the corridor without stopping by any other rooms where her friends… no, her companions in travel slept. The stairs were leading downstairs to the base floor of the wooden building, where the place's owner was serving drinks in what was the only tavern on the island.

Xan was there, sitting by the bar of all places, but obviously sober. He was staring into space with his eves empty and lips formulated as if he wanted to stop himself from saying something so badly that it hurt. Daria practically run to him, tearing through the crowd of drunken sailors and dock workers, bumping on him with all her strength after leaping from the mass of people. Only then he broke from his trance and turned to her, instinctively supporting her to stop her fall.

"Dar…?"

"I understand why you have to go" she didn't let him finish, wheezing slightly after the run through the crowd. Sweat began to gather on her brow, even though she obviously had to feel cold only in her light tunic without a cloak, she had to feel! Her thoughts were one big mess, she was half-aware that she was spouting out something that had to form sentences. "I understand, but… please don't go, please stay with me."

"I-I can't Daria, it's…"

"Please!" Tears began to flow so easily from her eyes when once again only one emotion filled the emptiness left by her stolen spirit leaving no place for thought or reason. "I want to be with you, it's horrible without you and I can't take it anymore." Her shaking legs collapsed and she fell to her knees, clutching his robes, drowned by black despair. All she could do now was most disgraceful pathetic begging.

The tavern around them stirred seeing a new source of entertainment, laughing and mocking, drunks were staring at her with honest glee, sailors roaring with laughter, proposing her better company, but it all washed off her without leaving a mark on her nonexistent spirit. Only Xan's answer mattered. Only it hurt.

His pulse increased and she felt the overwhelming fear he felt, even stronger then when she turned into Slayer, sharp emotions entering her bloodstream like a poison. He hoped he could never see her like this, he hoped it was a horrible dream created by his exhausted imagination, that it would all end soon, a nightmare he could wake from.

"I can feel it… I don't know what is happening, but I can't control it…" she sobbed. "Please don't blame me, don't blame me. It's not my fault…" She felt the blindness was coming, that Slayer might emerge and she huddled to herself trying to keep it within. The world was slowly losing its colors and the despair was retreating, heralding the return of the emotionless void. Her tears stopped as once again it all began to have no meaning nor sense.

The world stopped with all its screams cut sharply. A purple cloak was placed on her shoulders, hiding her from the world and a gentle hand helped her rise to stand. The mocking crowd fell silent and cleared the way to the stairs as with the use… no, probably with the use of magic. Jaheira was standing on the first step on the wooden staircase with Imoen hidden in her shadow. Someone led her towards them, but with every step Daria felt less and less conscious.

"It will pass" her sister whispered to her ear. "It takes some time, but it all passes."

A door leading inside a room closed behind her before she realized they entered a room and someone tried to take the cloak from her shoulders, but her hands clasped on it, so it was left on her shoulders. Imoen's arms closed around her as they both fell asleep on bed in Jaheira's room, both in their own voids.

Something died again inside Daria, just like after the last clash with Bodhi her fear disappeared to never return. One by one the pieces of her emotions were leaving her in last bursts, leaving only emptiness, like pieces of glass leaving the frame of a broken window. These feelings she couldn't stop from decaying inside, but there was something that lasted, that grew as she was dying. Something that would make her to survive.

And kill.

It was calm on the deck of the ship. The rocking of the planks beneath was like a cradle covering her in its depths. Daria liked the sea, even the way she was now. She remembered well she did.

The world was closing around her in the constant rocking of the ship. She spent her days like that, the third now, walking to the one spot on the main board and watching the waves until someone came to take her to their shared cabin at the sun set. No one bothered her beside that. 'They are afraid to wake Slayer in the limited space of the Galante' she'd rationalize should she care enough.

Galante once more… And she saw Saemon Havarian somewhere around again. Wasn't he supposed to betray them, or did it already happen? Jaheira was taking care of the details and Daria was content with it as long as she could watch her waves.

"How do you feel?" the druidess approached her safe spot, at the end of the third day of the voyage. These days it was like being surrounded with an invisible aura of a disease no one wanted to contract, Jaheira being the first one to approach her before the dusk, so far busy trying to ease Imoen's seasickness. At last the druidess gave up the attempts, leaving the pink-head under Minsc's care and went to see Daria, feeling the need to do something, not to leave the frail elf without anyone's protection.

"I don't feel anything" her ward replied, without turning her dead eyes to look at the druidess. She seemed completely devoid of any feeling, emotions or energy. Jaheira's fists clenched. Irenicus would pay for that. For that and more.

"We have to trust Havarian again, but I doubt his intentions are sincere. I don't think he's going to betray us to Bodhi again after his mistress abandoned him, but he's up to no good, I feel it" Jaheira tried to help Daria focus on something, make her mind centered to solve a problem. The girl was falling apart before her very eyes… Imoen told her how she felt after the ritual and the symptoms matched – the feeling of void opening in one's chest, was that how Daria felt now?

Xan did nothing to stop this, he only made matters worse. Jaheira knew that with young and inexperienced woman Daria was, she'd have to help her face the pain of a broken heart sooner or later, but she never suspected the situation would end like that.

"Do you have any insights on the pirate captain, Daria?" The half-elf asked, putting her hand on the smaller woman's shoulder. Even that amount of contact sent shivers down her spine. Jaheira would never say that out loud, but her ward's aura was not a natural one anymore and being near her now was not a pleasant experience.

"I have no divinations left. They are all gone." Again, the elf's eyes didn't change as she spoke, just as if it were someone else's words she was only repeating.

"Maybe it's just shock or tiredness" Jaheira tried to comfort her. "Maybe it will come back with proper rest…"

"Gooseberry is gone too."

"The rat? He'll be back" the druidess wanted to dismiss the problem, but then she realized what the diviner meant. Their two minds were linked and after the madman's spells… "Oh child, I'm so sorry" Jaheira forced herself to hug Daria, despite the icy pit opening in her stomach. She was holding an elf, but also a monster capable of ripping a vampire to pieces as easily as tearing a piece of paper. And again the sun elf barely reacted, staring at the sea.

"I told you males cannot be trusted." A sharp voice interrupted what was in no way an idyll. "They are inferior to us as much as they want to deny it and thus should be watched carefully when given even the simplest tasks." For the first time Jaheira was content hearing Viconia's voice. She wanted to cut Irenicus into tiny pieces and feed him to the wolves, but for now the drow priestess would have to suffice.

"Be gone from my sight Viconia. Go torment someone else if you need, but don't dare to touch her!" that wouldn't discourage Viconia one bit, Jaheira knew it. And this time she didn't want her to go.

"I take no pleasure from looking at this pathetic wretch, mongrel." Viconia squatted by Daria, obviously taking delight from her state, despite what she just claimed. "A hero of some pitiable Sword Coast, one of the most skilled diviners to walk the face of Toril, a child – daughter! – of Murder… broken completely by a male. You're so revolting that I almost feel sad looking at you" the drow snickered with honest satisfaction. Jaheira moved before her as to shield Daria, but not too close, not to show her back to the elf. She wouldn't be that cautious if she hadn't felt what she felt when she touched the elf only moments ago. Viconia was not intimidated and faced Daria once more using Jaheira's distance. "You were yapping all the time about goodness and trust trying to lecture me about the customs of the surface-dwellers and now you end like that. Pathetic. At least admit to yourself, because I don't really care, that the drow are right in this one thing – you holy self-righteous surfacers are just as selfish and evil as the drow, only we don't hide it under a wretched veil of egoism, calling it righteousness!"

"What can you possibly know about trust Viconia, about loyalty and care?" Jaheira glared, trying to cover her ward. "You spit your acid at everything around you, don't be surprised when you'll find yourself alone in the end!"

"Perhaps if you heeded your own advice you'd still have your worthless husband."

"Don't dare to mention Khalid, dark elf!" Jaheira's hand clutched her quarterstaff. The cursed drow crossed the line. But then she hesitated looking at Daria. It wasn't safe to be violent so near the elf now.

Viconia snorted with contempt. "You're wasting your time on a wreck of a person, who had the potential of becoming one of the most powerful creatures walking both beneath and on the surface of Toril. You could have been so much more Daria, you still can." The drow held the sun elf's chin, forcing her to look into her eyes, Jaheira trying to withhold the urge to use her quarterstaff. But she had to be calm. Near Daria she couldn't allow herself not to be. "Shar guides those who seek strength and don't delude themselves with false trust, remember that at least. If you are still capable of thinking."

Viconia smiled with superiority and walked away. Daria turned to watch the peaceful sea.

"What do you think you're doing you…" Imoen paused to make up a suitable insult. "What do you think you're doing?" she asked after a long moment. "You think you can hurt my sister like that and get away with it?"

She caught him at last, stopping him in one of the tight corridors on the lower board of Galante. At least her sea-sickness bought him that much time. So far Imoen spent the travel on the lower deck, accompanied only by Jaheira. Now she seemed in much better state, not only physical, but also mental. Much better state than Daria.

"Don't. Just don't, Imoen. It's already… It's hopeless." Xan sighed and tried to walk past her, but she stepped on his way again.

"I'm not going to let it pass Xan! How can you do that? After all that was between you two!" Imoen attacked him with her green-faced anger.

"You know nothing about what was between us!" Xan snapped, much faster than Imoen expected. She calmed immediately. "You know nothing, you didn't see her struggle every day to stand up, to fight, just to find you! You didn't see how much pain and endurance it cost her not to give up, how hard it was for her to open up again, after what was done to her!"

"You are sounding as if you were with her only because of pity" Imoen whispered calmly, narrowing her eyes before he would realize that he's been shouting and back away.

"It's not like that." Xan looked away. 'It was exactly like that' his inner voice mocked him.

"Then what it's like?"

"It's a long story." And he didn't want to tell it.

"I'm listening." Imoen crossed her arms at her chest, a pose taken from Jaheira. She wasn't going to let him pass through this corridor any time now. He considered turning back where he came from, but this conversation couldn't be avoided that easily and Imoen would find out everything sooner or later. This ship was only that big.

"She fell in love in a man named Anomen, a squire of an order of knights" he sighed, beginning the tale, but also trying to cut it to minimum.

"I find it hard to believe, but go on."

"He left her. We had to enter some shady dealings to get to the Spellhold and he didn't want to mar his untainted reputation" Xan uttered bitterly. "It hurt her a lot. I didn't want her to be alone in the time like that…"

"And you didn't think how'd you hurt her when she realizes you cared for her only because of pity?" The pink-hair moved to offense again.

"I was quite certain she'd forget all about me the moment we rescue you. It wasn't that she loved me, she just needed…"

Imoen slapped her forehead, not ever bothering to make it more theatrical.

"And how exactly you _didn't_ realize she loves you? It's like, she didn't listen to your every word enough or didn't follow you around all the time? Or did she old-fashionably forget to watch your every move with dreamy eyes? Because if it's about crying her eyes out at night because you once again told her that nothing has any meaning to you, I assure you she did that all right!"

"What?" he managed to interrupt her tirade.

"She loves you, you-you moron! From the very beginning she fell in love in you. You might have missed even though you're usually so attentive of other's feelings and never focus only on yourself, but I'm her sister, I know!"

"I…"

"Now you're going to go to her apologize for everything and you better do it honestly, or else! And you're never going to hurt her again, ever!"

"Imoen. Thank you for telling me, but it changes nothing. And you can't be possibly correct. Not anymore. Daria and I… It's not good for either of us. She'll be much better off without me." He said it out loud at last. He needed to make it be heard, if only to make sure it didn't sound that pathetic when said out loud, just like some truths could.

"I know what she's going through Xan, I know it very well." Imoen didn't laugh.

"I understand." He walked past her and this time she didn't block the way.

"So your sister was in love with the enchanter from the very beginning?" Valygar stopped her once she came back from the canteen, her first meal after an episode of sea-sickness.

"You were eavesdropping?" Imoen asked with suspicion. Her mood was returning after being healed and eating half of their provisions for the voyage. It seemed that the old Imoen was back. She could even sound authentically suspicious.

Valygar sighed. "Remember the corridor where you were shouting at Xan? My cabin was just behind the wall."

Imoen stick out a tongue at the annoyingly picky ranger.

"Yup, and she was pretty serious about it" she answered the question, seeing she wouldn't get any reaction. Valygar sure was a bore. "She didn't even tell me and that counts as something in my book."

"If she didn't tell you then how do you know?" he asked, already looking for a hole in her reasoning,

"Sheesh, you can tell, when you've lived with someone for over fifteen years" Imoen replied with sarcasm. "You know, she really is my sister, and having the same father has nothing to do with it." Imoen looked at him as if she expected a sarcastic remark, but seeing that the boring Valygar was actually listening to what she was saying she continued. "My sis was always the quiet one. She could hide in the Great Library for entire night, only to show up in the morning to tell me about the new fascinating book she just read, all flushed and with this fanatical gleam in her eyes. Heh. And she never got along with other people too well. None of the visitors that were coming to Candlekeep ever saw her. Except Khelben Arunsun, that is, and then she only came out because she liked his cloak. That cloak… Anyway, when she started circling around Xan doing positively everything to make him smile for at least a second it wasn't all that hard to figure out."

Valygar mulled it over silently.

"That would have saved me and Yoshimo some effort" he said at last with a sigh.

"You two were friends?" Imoen asked carefully.

"I thought we were…"

"I don't want to pry, but if you need somebody to talk to, good old Imoen is here for you." The rogue placed a hand on his shoulder trying to be sympathetic. She couldn't find in herself to joke in this situation, but she tried to smile at least. And she wanted to know if her sister really had it as hard as Xan made it sound. No one else appeared to be eager to talk about anything more gruesome than a field of flowers with her, just as if she was a second Slayer in the making.

"He was the one to get the idea to get the idea to bring Xan together with your sister. But he said he needs a collaborator so he kept bugging me until I agreed…" the ranger began a tale. He even managed to finish it before the deck suddenly shook as if the ship was about to fall to pieces.

Something happened with her peaceful sea. It used to be calm, only a little bit uneven and very blue. She was watching it for almost an entire day, as it was becoming darker steadily, maybe slightly faster than usual, when the sun would set and change the sea into a dark depth, as if it was a dark oblivion they were sailing. Now white spume was growing on the raising waves, making the sailing vessel Galante tremble. The deck was noisy with sounds of battle, the war cries and the shouts of the wounded, but she didn't move from her safe spot and she didn't really care. Someone was standing behind her back, shielding her from any harm, so she could watch the waves still. Berserk's battle cry was all she needed as a guarantee that she would not be disturbed and even if she didn't have this guarantee there was nothing she could do anymore.

A great quake of the deck made her shudder.

"Sea devils!" she heard someone yell and suddenly her previously peaceful weaves rose above her head to consume her. The last thing she remembered was a scaled hand closing around her neck, just before the icy waters of the Sea of Swords welcomed her in its cold embrace.


	41. Taming the Slayer

„**Taming the Slayer"**

Waking up in a pool of cold water wasn't pleasant, but being able to breathe at last was recompensing more than enough for this minor inconvenience. The last thing she remembered was being surrounded by icy-cold water, drowning, but no one give her time to ponder how she got wherever she was. Cold slippery paws forced her to stand the moment she stirred from unconsciousness and she was pushed into arena of some sorts. On the opposing end of the oval ground a giant beast stood, a two-headed ettin. It took her a moment to compose herself enough to stand straight when the fish-smelling paws let go of her, leaving her in her drenched robes alone with the monster. Heavy doors slammed shut behind her back.

She let her eyes slid through the ettin like it was made of air and instead she looked around. To her left, on a balcony placed safely over arena's wall on a statue shaped like some sort of golden half-mantis half-ray, stood her companions, without their weapons and under the guard of the same strange creatures that invaded Galante. By their side looking at her curiously, was another creature, obviously of the same kind as the guards, but significantly bigger and… pinker. It had four clawed arms, long spike-like teeth and was covered with scales, whiter and thinner on its stomach. On its back there was a violet pink crest, probably a sign of a significantly high position in the social hierarchy of the fish people…

A direct hit of ettin's club sent her flying, it came as a complete surprise as she kept watching the fish king, and she hit the stone wall of the arena with a crack of breaking bones. She should have lost consciousness instantly, but she didn't, she just watched the snarling monster approach to deal the finishing blow. Watched with growing anger.

All her supposed friends were standing by the edge of the arena, paralyzed with fear, but none of them tried to call her or help her despite their guards. They feared _of_ her, of the Slayer, just as much as they feared _for_ her. They feared _it_ would emerge again. Her death or her change – which one was worse? She didn't know that and neither did they.

But it wasn't that she didn't know how they felt, didn't see the quick glances every now and then, every time she made a sudden move. Every time she touched any of them, even accidentally, she could actually _feel_ the tide of sudden terror they felt, the quickening pulse, the sweat. They feared, all of them, even Jaheira, her _mother_.

Just like Viconia said. She had an unlimited potential and she became a _nothing_.

She had enough of it. SHE HAD ENOUGH!

The two-headed giant loomed over her like a mountain, casting a shadow in which she laid, broken, in pool of her own blood, strangely unaware of her own body. Death could meet her here, by the paw of unwashed monster too dumb to hold a weapon any more complex than a pulled out tree. But she was in no mood to die now.

Elven bones could be broken very easily, but Slayer's scales were much harder. An elf could faint from the loss of blood, but avatar's mind remained clear as long as it could kill. And she was already chosen to become an avatar.

The club fell again, pinning her to the ground, but Daria felt she could laugh at the beast's clumsy attempts to kill her. Building herself anew, without the scars, without the breaks, she stood up, effortlessly tossing off the heavy block of wood. Spikes grew from her arms and shoulders, piercing through her clothes, long talons sharp as if designed to cut a god tore her gloves to pieces and she stood reborn, the vessel of murder.

Her muscles tensed when Slayer's unseeing eyes centered on the dumbstruck ettin. The attack came before the surprised monster managed to utter 'huh?'.

She took off the sad remains of the gloves from her hands and looked at her fingers. They were slim and straight, without any bends or breaks, her brown skin covered with blood, but not with scars. Her hands looked better than she ever remembered seeing them.

Her clothes were ruined, full of holes and sprayed with ettin's innards. She stepped from the torn body, now not even resembling anything humanoid. All her scars, her entire body, seemed like it was made anew without any flaws left from Irenicus' dungeon. It was like she was still a powerful Slayer, but the appearance changed to resemble her previous weaker form. The same strange confidence, the instincts, the strength – it felt as if all of it remained in this new shape.

She tried out few more complex gestures and the sea devils holding her friends froze, held by a perfectly formed Hold Spell. Sahuagin, she remembered the name of the monsters at last, from one of her lessons in Candlekeep concerning the races living underwater. The beasts were known to be a plague bothering small ports and even bigger cities placed near the sea, mortal enemies of the peaceful sea folk, including sea elves. She should be able to kill them without feeling remorse.

Daria looked at the Sahuagin king standing near her friends. The beast didn't realize yet that his guards were held firmly in place by her magic and he was more vulnerable than he thought. Rummaging through her memory Daria chose a spell. She didn't have many at her disposal, she gradually stopped preparing new ones since her spirit was taken, relying on others to keep her safe. This particular element summoning she didn't use yet because so far it was beyond her hands' capabilities.

One very complex and detailed move, another and then the chant joined her flawless moves… The Sahuagin squeaked and then added something throaty to his servants in Sahuagin's strange tongue, but it was already too late. A stream of electricity shot from Daria's outstretched fingers forward, crossing the distance between her and the huge sea devil in no time, and then gave it a spicy taste of thunder. Minor bolts shot from the king, killing the paralyzed guards.

Daria looked at her smoking hands again. Casting was easy, so easy. She never felt so focused, like she could think of nothing else but her magic. She needed to prepare more spells, much more. Maybe at night? She couldn't sleep anyway, maybe she simply didn't need to anymore?

A war cry turned her attention back to her friends. They were just finishing off the heavily wounded Sahuagin king using weapons taken from the fallen guards, but were still separated from her by few feet high stone wall. She decided to shorten the distance.

A spell of levitation – that was the last one she had. She jumped into the air and didn't fall. Descending gracefully in the middle of her companions she noticed their fearful eyes turned at her. And then she realized what scared them so, looking at her reflection in the waters of the underground city. A bloody visage she was, heavy drops of red liquid dripping from her robes at the ground as she descended, but what were drawing the most attention were her eyes, glowing a bright gold light, just as Sarevok's used to.

The moment before his death.

"No. I like the smell of blood" she answered Jaheira's careful suggestion to change clothes. Her old robes were just rags now, sprayed with red, but the smell seemed pleasant enough for her. Jaheira looked at her, not even caring to hide the expression of terror.

"S-sis, you can't be serious" Imoen stammered.

"What are we doing here?" Daria ignored her, turning to Jaheira again. It was good to be focused once again. She felt detached for far too long. The druidess looked at her with mix of worry and disgust.

"The Sahuagin brought you here because of the prophecy given to them by their god, Sekolah…" Valygar began. Daria noticed he didn't sheathe his katana, but even such an obvious sign of distrust didn't hurt. And he talked. A lot. Out of fear, to see what happens or was he trying to distract her before striking? No, he already made up his mind about her state. In his eyes she saw disdain, the same he showed each time he witness the use of magic. He wouldn't attack yet, he would wait for a chance.

"Doesn't matter" the sun elf cut the talk. "How do we get out?"

"The King mentioned a hole leading to the Underdark, located somewhere to the south from here, but now that he's dead I suppose we have to look for it ourselves."

"Good, let's get going. The place reeks of Sahuagin, it's not safe to rest here." The elf picked a direction which she hoped was south. Being deprived of her divinations certainly was annoying. Her adventurer's party followed their blood-soaked leader maintaining safe distance. No one dared to stop her.

The Underdark was huge. They had to use all the rope they could find just to climb down to one of its caverns from the above Sahuagin outpost and it was only one of the hundreds of entrances. The cave opening before them was impossible to comprehend in the darkness, only ceiling Daria could see, a bright hole that brought them here. The old parts of her were quite uneasy about the place, but she shred those emotions quite swiftly. Now she could watch the legendary Underdark, the place of many tales and dangers, where evil was said to lurk behind every corner, with honest interest, letting her team set the camp. More than one night she spent in Candlekeep, sneaking through the library, trying to find more and more fascinating descriptions of the mysterious and deadly drow, the abominable mind flayers and powerful beholders. And now she stood here among these monsters, only deadlier, more abominable and much more powerful than any of them.

The air was warm and full of scents. Fluorescent fungi growing on one of the walls gave little light, but quite enough for her to move freely without having to resort to infravision. Valygar was up for a hard time if he wasn't going to accept at least a minor sight-sharpening enchantment.

Her blood-soaked robes were going to attract predators soon if she wasn't going to get rid of them, but she still wanted to train some… changing. Getting battered like against ettin every time she wanted to assume her new form could be a touch too troublesome. At least now there was someone who she suspected would help her.

"Teach me about Shar" Daria turned to Viconia, not caring that all others heard her. Jaheira sprung to her feet, but when she looked at the elf, all covered in blood and with her eyes still glowing dangerously, the look in her eyes, that of question and a threat at the same time, the words she was meant to say just evaporated from her mind. She sat again, trying to stop the trembling of her hands, trying to be strong, trying to think of something fast. And for the first time not knowing what to do while looking at Daria.

"So you finally decided to think for yourself, instead of letting others do it for you, Daria?" Viconia smiled mockingly. "That's admirable, but what makes you think that you're worthy of the Nightsinger's teachings?"

"You're worthy and the Slayer could tear you to pieces in few seconds" Daria gave an answer she considered Viconia would find to her liking. Indeed drow's lips curled in a satisfied smile.

"Come with me" Viconia ordered. Daria looked around the camp, but all others were avoiding eye contact. Valygar was watching Viconia with contempt, Jaheira kept her eyes to the ground, Minsc was whispering something to Boo. Xan sat alone with his spellbook, probably trying to show how much it didn't matter to him, anything relating to this party. His eyes didn't move from the lines of runes when she cast him a last glance, before walking off with Viconia.

"The first step on the path of service is a sacrifice" Viconia began after they reached a place the drow considered appropriate. They were walking for few minutes and Daria hoped that her companion would know how to get back to their camp in this never-ending darkness. The cavern where they stopped had only one tunnel leading to it and was dark even considering the Underdark standards, granting the pair more than enough seclusion. The only source of light was now Daria's brooch holding a minor Light enchantment and a faded gold glow of her eyes.

"Your sacrifice will be your blood. Cut your veins, on forearms, two long cuts" Viconia handed the sun elf a sharp knife, just as she was asking her to peel some potatoes for diner. "Don't mind the wounds, I'll heal you as soon as the offering completes. This is a first ritual every priestess has to perform."

Daria took the knife carefully. It was glinting with magic in vain attempt to disperse some of the darkness since the moment it left the scabbard on Viconia's calf. The hilt was adorned with Shar's holy symbol – a dark disk in a purple ring. It had to be a ceremonial weapon, but Daria never saw the drow use it before.

Her logic was screaming, advising her against trusting Viconia, but the emptiness in her chest didn't stir to spawn any emotions when she pressed the enchanted blade to her skin. Why was she doing this she didn't know, but she knew she had to do something, otherwise she would be swallowed by the void, piece by piece. And if this was the way to stop it…

Blood streamed richly once and twice, falling on the stone ground of the cavern. The ceremonial knife fell from diviner's grasp when both her hands almost immediately became numb. She raised her eyes to look at Viconia.

"This is the first lesson I will give you, a lesson you will do better to remember" the dark elf uttered, picking the bloodied knife from the where it was dropped. "Those weak enough to trust others with their life do not deserve to live. A wretch like you could never stand against me and sheer strength is nothing if you don't know how to use it." The drow turned on her heel and run out of the cave.

Daria looked at her hands, once more covered with fresh blood, but this time belonging to her. She was betrayed… again.

Xan raised his head from over his spellbook. She was gone, went away with Viconia, and he didn't need to watch himself that much now. He wondered… feared… He wondered! He couldn't fear now, her life was none of his business, he could only consider her a companion in travels now and shouldn't worry and fear for her! What was happening to her, the fast descent into her taint, was only a logical outcome of Irenicus' ritual and nothing he could do with his current knowledge could either bring harm or help.

Seldarine, how hard could it get? He wanted all of this to be over, for this cursed pain in his chest to be gone forever, so that it wouldn't hurt so much to watch her dying, changing before his eyes, to hear her saying she doesn't feel nor care, to feel her scent of jasmine becoming stifled by the one of blood. It was obvious that would happen. She was doomed. It wasn't her fault, but she couldn't change who she was, no one could. Getting involved with her was madness in the first place and now all he wanted was for it to be too late, over, impossible to change, so he could just stay with his usual miseries he knew so well and stop trying to find new ones. He wanted this to end.

'It's the right choice.' That was what he kept repeating to himself. It hurt so much, so how possibly couldn't it be the right thing to do?

Viconia came back, alone. He felt worries piling up in his chest.

No.

He would not worry and he would not care. What was gone was gone. Some things were just not meant to be.

The blood was seeking its way out from her body. If only getting rid of her taint was that easy as to let it flow until it all leaves her… She couldn't stop the bleeding with her numb hands, she couldn't cast, should she call for help she wouldn't be heard. It would be just screaming in the darkness… Her strength was waning and waning, making her body feel as cold and hollow as her spirit. She wouldn't make it to the camp and Viconia took all her healing potions…

Maybe they'd come. Maybe Jaheira would be worried that she's not coming back, maybe Xan was still thinking about her a little. Imoen would be too afraid to come alone, but maybe she'd take Minsc with her to check up on her sister? Daria strained her hearing trying to distinguish the sound of footsteps in the darkness, but there were none. No one was coming. She was alone.

It all became black, even as little light as her brooch created died away, when she began to lose consciousness from the blood loss. She felt like falling into darkness, infinite fall denying her death. Something was consuming her in this descend, but she never crushed on the ground.

"Remember what the drow said" the haunted Imoen from her dreams appeared, falling along with her, her tangled pink hair floating like in water. "After all, what means eternity in nothingness, when you can crush everything that stands in your way?"

"Those weak enough to trust others with their life do not deserve to live" Viconia repeated in her head just for her.

"Those weak, which trust…" Daria tried to say, but the drow was no longer there. The ground appeared beneath her out of sudden and now was getting near!

"Save yourself!" the Imoen of dreams screamed.

"Save yourself!" Gorion called her that night, shielding her from Sarevok. Even though it would hurt her more to see him die then to be murdered herself.

"No one can save you, but yourself. Trust yourself, save yourself, _be_ yourself" thousand voices from the darkness called, shouting, screaming, demanding in a deafening cacophony that echoed in the darkness, ending sharply only when she asked.

"But what am I?"

"Child of Bhaal" Irenicus' solitary voice answered.

The flow of blood stopped and the wounds closed, immediately being covered with scales. Her muscles hardened and the Slayer woke, a wild element, swallowing her like a rising tide. This time no blindness covered her eyes and nothing obscured her hearing. She was herself, truly herself. It felt like she finally broke some seal that was so far hindering her every move.

The Slayer stood up from the pool crimson. It opened its huge colorless eyes and took in the scent on the air.

She smelled the scent of Viconia's emotions. The air was wonderful, so much smells contained in it, she could have never imagined half of it. The treacherous drow was already in their camp. The Slayer crossed the distance quickly, fast and unrelenting like murder. She emerged on the borders of light, lurking on the light line of the shadows not yet lit by the fire of burning fungus. Xan was sitting ahead on the edge of the light, with his back turned to her, the spellbook still on his lap. She turned the Slayer's eye at him.

'You want to hate me, don't you? You don't want to feel?' the Slayer would whisper should she be able to talk with her maw full of knife-sharp teeth. Tenderly she approached the oblivious enchanter. 'Then I will help you with all my strength to make you hate me like you never hated before, like you never even dreamed of hating' she hissed. Through her sharp, sharper than elf's, senses she felt his heart starting to beat faster and the cold sweat washing over him. He knew something was behind him, something terrible, but was afraid to look. Only Imoen noticed Slayer's shadow behind the elf. Her eyes began to widen.

Daria walked past Xan, back in her elven form, postponing the fulfillment of her promise. He flinched when she brushed against him, only slightly. She'd show him what real fear meant, but for now she had to deal with one treacherous dark elf.

His heart slowed its maddened thumping only when she walked away.


	42. Light at the End of a Dark Tunnel…

„**Light at the End of a Dark Tunnel…"**

„You treacherous wretch!" Daria didn't stop at threats, caching Viconia's throat and lifting the taller woman up easily. Drow's eyes became wide as plates when she ineffectively tried to gasp for air, her hands clutching on Daria's, fighting for a breath.

"Daria, stop!" Jaheira tried to knock the sun elf off her feet, but it was like a colliding with a wall, though the elf did release Viconia from her grasp. Minsc moved before the dark elf, shielding her from Bhaalspawn's wrath.

Daria backed away. She wanted to kill and they were on the way. Why didn't they take her side, instead protecting Viconia? It was a conflict and they trusted the drow traitor more than her?

"How does it feel?" Viconia coughed, treating her neck with a minor spell, crawling on the ground like a poisonous vermin she was.

"What?" Daria barked. Her patience was running thin. The Slayer was very eager to be released.

"I'm asking, how does the need of revenge feel, fool? Tell me. Is it better than staring at the sea for hours? Is it better than resignation?"

Daria hesitated. She felt… an emotion, a need. It was good, she felt stronger, motivated. Jaheira and Minsc looked at Viconia confused, but stood in places, separating the two elves.

"Let it be the second lesson. Never forgive. Hesitation is for weak, forgiveness is for the stupid, but the greatest sin is to forget a misdeed. You may wait for years before fulfilling your vengeance, you may take your time, to learn, to observe, to plan, but _never_ forgive."

A lesson it was, all of it. Was it? All her life Daria was taught by the books, protected by Gorion, by Khalid and Jaheira, watched over by Elminster, the Harpers, guarded, cloaked, shielded, blinded. They told her what to do and what to avoid, clearing everything up hand and made her listen to them unconditionally. They made her a puppet dancing on their whim. And now Viconia gave her a lesson. A lesson she would not forget.

Should she be weak, she'd already be dead, bled out in forsaken corner of the Underdark. But she was strong and she learned that by herself. Viconia set a trap on her that would make her become stronger or kill her, but learn she had to all by herself. This was the way of Shar. Not by relying on others, but by finding strength in oneself. And Daria realized she needs to learn more, much more.

"If I listen to you, it means I will kill you one day, when I don't need you anymore" she hissed at the drow. The rage didn't left her completely yet, but instead of blind fury it was a controlled urge to get revenge. And it could wait for years.

"Don't worry baut'wael. I'll be ready" Viconia smiled viciously, getting to her feet.

Daria turned on her heel and left, leaving confused Jaheira with Viconia, eager to inform the druidess that the diviner was under her 'care' now.

In the deepest shadows of the underground they could have been walking in circles for hours, but no matter how hard Daria tried she couldn't divine even which way was North. Jaheira's bond with nature and Valygar's tracking abilities were of no use in this hostile environment, only Viconia seemed to have some vague idea about where they were going. In the end they had to pick one random direction and pray, each to a different god, for the path to end somewhere safe. Without any solid food rations they were forced to trust Viconia identifying some of the creatures and fungi of the Underdark as edible, but that wouldn't get them far.

Daria thrived. Rests, when all her companions slept exhausted by the travel and the heavy atmosphere of a sunless cavern, she spent studying magic, learning in a terrifying speed, without the need to waste time on sleeping or reverie, with inhuman concentration absorbing spell after spell. What passed for 'days' in seemingly timeless Underdark, the sun elf spent literally devouring the knowledge of the drow ways and the teachings of Shar, walking alongside Viconia. Often, when a stray umber hulk or a group of kuo-toa would emerge to interrupt their conversation, the sun elf would move a step before her companions and try one of the new incantations she learned, leaving only smoldering ashes, a puddle of acid, or a block of crushed ice where her enemies previously stood. The Slayer did not emerge in the heat of battle. At least not yet.

At the beginning of the fourth time they started to walk after resting in some secluded corner, they finally encountered another sentient being. It was more than just a simple luck that the first greeting they were to hear in this alien landscape was from a patrol of svirfnebli, the deep gnomes, one of the friendliest species one could encounter in the Underdark.

The first spoon of warm strew felt like the taste of heavens. The meat of rothe, as Viconia called it was a pinnacle of culinary art, compared to half-raw meat of Umber hulk, smelling with fungi they had to use instead of firewood. The deep gnomes had to be the most hospitable creatures in the whole wide Toril, Imoen was sure of it, as she packed the food into her mouth, not bothering to use what passed for cutlery in Underdark.

The beds were gorgeous, thousands times better than the dirty couches of the Ape back in Brynnlaw. The pink-head thief could spend hours lying on her bedspread, taking pleasure in the feelings coming from her satisfied stomach and tired legs, grateful for a break in wanderings. These were the most intense now that she had no soul.

The pink-haired rogue picked her resting place next to Valygar. The ranger seemed friendly enough, though more of the sulky kind, but Imoen suspected that Yoshimo's recent betrayal might have been the cause. He obviously hated magic in any form quite heatedly and grimaced comically, as if he was gulping down very bitter medicine, every time she cast a spell to enable infravision to him. It was quite funny actually.

The only thing Imoen didn't like about the ranger, the only new addition to their party, was the look he was giving to Daria every now and then. It was the look careful adventurers gave to an enemy they were forced to accept among their midst, when they had to watch their backs at all times, the look of those who kill at the first sign of treachery and don't ask why.

They all looked at Daria differently now. Jaheira for the first time appearing completely lost and unsure, without as much as trace of her usual self-confidence. Minsc, strangely silent, not even once proclaimed the need of a righteous butt-kicking. Only Viconia looked at her without hostility, like a person ready to dance with the fire, but it didn't change the fact that they all looked at her as one looks at a monster. All but Xan, because… he didn't look at her at all.

Imoen rolled on her bed, feeling all positive reactions to food and rest becoming less and less important. She had to help her sister, but how? Things were much more serious than being grounded for sneaking out to the library to play.

'Let's try with the food' the pink head decided. Maybe sis would learn to enjoy the simple pleasures of the taste like she did, making them a temporary replacement for lost emotions. Daria was probably sitting in some silent corner with her nose in the books and a faint Light hovering over her head, just like in the old times. Only back in Candlekeep she didn't have this gold glint in her eyes, like that of a jealous dragon gathering the knowledge like its most precious treasure.

Svirfnebli hospitality wasn't cheap.

The hole in the ground inside the cave where the beast was said to dwell smelled with demon, sending the stench far through the corridors, some of it reaching even the living quarters of the small deep gnomes' outpost, a distinctive scent of brimstone and evil being all too familiar from their short trip to Abyss. The monster plaguing the settlement had to be of infernal blood, but how it ended up trapped in the walls of Underdark remained a mystery. She'd know it by now should she have her divinations, but…

Not that it mattered much. Nothing mattered much, not the food, not the rest, not the secluded haven of deep gnomes outpost. But in exchange for this little meaning safety, provisions and information about Irenicus, who seemed to be well known even as far as in the Underdark, they were sent to kill the beast threatening the existence of the town and bring the ceiling down on its head so it wouldn't rise again. A reasonable precaution, given the fact that no demon could be simply killed in material plane.

Demon's abilities – Daria scanned her memories for details. Since the loss of her spirit her memory worked absolutely faultlessly. It was almost too easy to recover every detail, when her head wasn't clouded with needless emotions and fears. Even the memories from the Irenicus' dungeon were all at her disposal and she could easily recall every torture she suffered, every pain she was dealt. She could just as effortlessly throw it away from her mind, but instead she used those recalling to strengthen her determination to get possibly bloody revenge on the mad mage, just as Viconia advised. Daria couldn't say it worked, she considered herself indifferent to a person back then, a weaker one, broken that easily by physical pain and few illusions. The fact that Irenicus was to die by her hand was not a result of it, but it was still obvious.

"We need protection from fear, paralysis and fire" she commanded to her party and began to cast herself, adding some powerful abjurations to defend them, but none for herself. In a minute she would need no protection. Imoen and Xan began to cast their own spells, which Daria instantly recognized as simple fear protectors and other basic defensive charms. Jaheira began to cover them with orange-colored magic to protect them from infernal's blaze.

"Everybody ready?" she looked around at her party, with their faces colored with varied shades of hostility, all centered on her. In a moment she would give them a batter reason for hate… and envy.

"Get in positions" she ordered. "I will call the demon. Attack only when it emerges fully, otherwise evade. I don't want anyone to check how deep this hole is."

Daria turned to the lair of the demon taking a deep inhale and called the Slayer, just as Viconia taught her to call the inner darkness, growing fluently, calmly.

Long hook-like nails… no, talons, she had talons now, with harpoon-like strings. This hands… paws, weren't useful for holding anything, a real pain when handling delicate things and she couldn't even imagine using them to cast, but they weren't made for it, were they? They were shaped to rip their victim to bloody pieces, leave it torn and dead, beyond resurrection, beyond as much as recognition. This body was shaped to murder.

It would be only so easy to kill any person standing near her. Take Minsc for example. She saw him overpowering a troll with his bare hands only, but she was certain she could snap his neck without breaking a drop of sweat. She almost… no, she _did_ want to know was she right, she wanted to use this form to its limits, test it properly. She would die anyway, she would go to hell anyway… she had nothing to lose.

'Later…later' she thought. Testing strength could wait. For now… the demon. A shiver of excitement ran along her spine at the anticipation of the upcoming fight. No lowly infernal could stand against her in this form. She knew.

The Slayer walked to the edge of the deep pit on its scaled legs with three long toes, each ending with a talon. And it howled, a terrible sound, alike to nothing a mortal creature could produce, echoed on the walls of the demon's lair. Daria walked away from the hole calmly, remaining in the form of avatar, ignoring the petrified look her party was giving her and squatted casually by Viconia, lashing her reptilian tail back and forth. Even the drow priestess looked whiter than usual, grey, considering her dark complexion.

The demon crawled slowly from its hole, one clawed paw appearing first, then the other, and then the ugly horned head showing in the field of vision. It was covered with a mix of blood-red scales, thinner than the Slayer's, and tangled black fur with the ever-present stink of brimstone surrounding it like a closest friend.

'Not nearly as terrifying as me' Daria found out with amusement.

Minsc slowly approached the monster, but Daria waited in place not to make her companions panic. They would have to get used to the Slayer, but she had time. The next went Valygar and then Jaheira, Viconia beginning a chant quietly. They all walked slowly, aiming to get as close to their opponent as possible before attacking.

The demon smiled, showing two lines of yellow teeth. It roared, but the aura of infernal fear slipped off the magic defenses on Daria's companions, not to mention that its roar came out pale in confrontation to hers. Then the beast charged, spreading dark bat-like wings, till now hidden behind its back.

"It's coming!" Jaheira managed to shout, before the demon clashed with the first-line fighters. The heavy blows of its arms with muscles tense like cords were difficult to block even for Minsc, as they tried to withstand the initial fury of the charge. Valygar rolled on the ground under one of the long arms and cut the scaled abdomen, leaving a long, but shallow gush. Dark blood stained the stone and the Slayer stirred with interest.

'Almost the time' Daria thought after the pole of divine fire fell on demon form the ceiling, swashing it with godly rage at the call of Viconia. She watched her comrades struggling to wound the fiend, keeping an eye out just in case. Or maybe Slayer's intervention wouldn't be necessary?

It was. The tanar'ri batted its wings, spreading them to their full length and shot forward. Imoen, who was just trying to sneak behind it, was rapidly shoved back with the gust of air, in the direction of the dark pit. The pink-head stopped just on the edge of the rift, trying to catch balance. Slayer's head rose to look when Imoen flapped her arms helplessly a few times, already knowing her stoneskins wouldn't save her from collapsing, and then went down.

Slayer's eyes didn't follow her sister's fall. The avatar's body relaxed and Daria moved forward with the impossible speed, bouncing from the ground a step before the edge of the pit and then diving into it. She saw Imoen in the air with her mouth open wide for the scream and caught her gently, cautiously, as a mother would, caring for none of Slayer's thorns to slash girl's skin. Then the scaled arm shot to the stone wall like a lightning, boring a deep gash in it and stopping the fall. Surrounding her sister with the other arm to prevent her from falling out of her grasp Daria jumped up, bouncing from the vertical wall, with all Slayer's strength. In one leap she got out of the hole, landing safely on the ground. The avatar looked around to make sure the demon wasn't near, cornered by Minsc and fried by Viconia and Xan. Only then Daria freed her sister form Slayer's arms, putting her carefully on the ground. She extended her scaled arm to help her stand on her wobbly legs.

"Stay away from her, beast!" Valygar with his face covered with hate aimed his red-edged katana at her.

"Aw, shut your trap, Valygar!" Imoen managed to stand on her own. She turned to the ranger, still looking as if she was about to throw up from the recent ride, and stick out her tongue at him. Then she patted the non-spiked part of the Slayer's shoulder and smiled. "Thanks sis. If not for you I'd be a goner by now. I owe you one again."

If the Slayer could smile it would, but such exertion was beyond her misshaped maw. Instead Daria dashed forward, leaped into the air and fell at the demon like death from above, unable to contain the pure bloodlust greater than any before. With most dreadful strength it caught beast's both wings by their base and pulled, tearing them out, making the demon howl in pain. Everybody jumped back from the two fighting fiends and the gushing red liquid covered the view as Daria began to tear her opponent to pieces, her claws crushing flesh and limbs and throwing it like useless trash all around. The tanar'ri died at last and a most peculiar howl came out from avatar's mouth, a long and broken titter.

The Slayer was laughing.

The scales began to fade showing the blood-covered skin and silver-less violet once again shining in her eyes as she returned to her elven form, still laughing madly, unable to stop. Without any distinction the laughter became a series of frantic sobs, squeezing tears from her eyes. 'Why?' she asked herself. She felt so good, finally without the guilt and worry, with nothing she considered powerful enough to imprison her again, able to protect whoever she wanted. Then why was she crying? The sun elf fell on the ground, unable to withstand the crushing emotion coming from unknown source.

"Sis, are you alright?" Only Imoen dared to walk up to her. The pink-head put her hand on Daria's shoulder, despite demon's blood covering it completely.

"I-I'm getting better" the diviner stuttered. Her sister's touch made her shiver. "Are you unhurt?"

"Oh, sis…" Now Imoen began to cry as well, and hugged the elven woman, smearing blood all over her clothes. Almost like in Candlekeep… Another lost memory appeared in the emotionless mind. They never cried separately, always together. When one began, no matter of the cause, the other was soon enough with her to cry together. But there was no blood on their clothes in Candlekeep.

Finally, after nine days, Daria was overcome with sleep, and she fell to its lure in Imoen's arms.


	43. is most likely a Dragon

„**...is most likely a Dragon"**

„Address her 'my lady' or Adalon by choice. She has been a friend for svirfnebli for long, surely she knows a way to Ust Natha, the city of drow, where the vampire and the mage you seek headed not that long ago" the deep gnome was boring them, repeating the same thing over and over again as they walked, as if he was trying to hide that he himself wasn't completely sure of this solution.

"Is she a deep gnome, like you?" Imoen asked, curious. He was shuffling her feet as she walked trying to draw attention to the new robes with irrationally long trouser legs only she could walk in without stumbling every few steps.

"No, of course not. She's a creature of great beauty and wisdom. Show her proper respect. Here" Goldander, the leader of the deep gnomes in the settlement, placed a golden gem, shining with its own light on Daria's palm, and they could finally see their destination – a cave far from the hidden entrance to the svirfnebli town it took them almost a full day to reach.

"From here you have to go on your own" the gnome signaled the rest of the patrol who led them here that it's time to head back. Daria didn't pay them any attention, looking at the wall of living shadows that seemed awfully familiar, though the last one she saw was much smaller. The barrier was as high as the cave, opening far up and disappearing into the darkness further than her eyes could reach. The elf threw a skeptical look at the small gem, not much more than a worthless bauble, only sparkling lightly. The walls of shadow they have so far encountered, the ones in Amaunator's forgotten temple, weren't much bigger than normal house doors. Those shadows were huge and much, much denser.

She shrugged, lifted the gem up and began to walk. There was no point in imagining trouble without at least trying to pass through. Her companions obediently hobbled behind her without saying a single world. Only Imoen was making the effort to lighten the atmosphere, but the moment they immersed into the barrier of darkness even her easy-going sister lost the courage to speak.

Before the half-goddess a cavern opened, or perhaps more like a hall. It was enormous, even for Underdark standards, a place that was itself one giant cave. The walls of the chamber were richly sculpted, though it appeared more as if various humanoid creatures, perhaps drow, were trapped in stone and now tried to break free, seeking their release in the empty space before them, with their faces twisted in some strange yearning. A gentle white curtain of frost was covering the unfortunate beings, like last chains they couldn't break on their way to freedom. The floor was slippery, also covered with ice, though barely visible from under milk-colored mist, crawling beneath their feet, retreating only slightly at their advance. All of it created an eerie and surreal atmosphere.

A dragon stood in the middle of the antechamber, a silver beast, more ancient than the walls surrounding it. Only compared to the giant lizard the sculpted hall didn't seem that huge, a suitable space for a dragon to spread its magnificent wings unhindered. The chill radiating even beyond the darkened entrance was seeping from the metallic silver scales.

"Adalon, I presume?" Daria stepped forward, addressing the dragoness directly. Imoen flinched when her sister's voice echoed from the walls. Just looking at the dragoness made one feel the cold crawling under the clothes.

"Welcome in my cave" the dark eyes of Adalon the dragoness rested on the tiny in comparison shape of the Bhaalspawn. Frosty dragon breath brushed elf's skin, but Daria didn't shudder. A very nasty smile began to form on her lips, removing the amazed expression she wore when first looking at the sparkling scales of silver dragon.

"I am Daria of Candlekeep. Me and my companions are looking for Irenicus the mage, and Bodhi the vampiress. We were told that you may help us." The small elf introduced her purpose.

"I know the ones you speak of and I know they cannot be easily reached" the dragoness replied, as if she was expecting the question and knew all about their goals in advance. "The ones you seek are allies of drow and went to Ust Natha, the city of the dark elves nearby. Without my help they will remain beyond your reach. I will aid you, however I require a service in return."

"There is nothing for free in this world" Daria stated with a hint of amusement. The great dragoness needed her help… "Ask and I will listen."

"Silence!" Adalon roared and the walls trembled. Icy mist shifted to envelop the diviner, but then withdrew when the air around her seethed with something not from this world. "I will tell you when you are allowed to speak." The dragoness' eyes with its needle-like pupils stopped for a split second on each of the adventurers who invaded her lair. No one dared to object.

"I am a guardian here, not the first, but the history of this place is known to me. Ages ago this was the place where the dark elves descended below the surface, to become drow. It is a symbol of for their dark descendants, the symbol of their Fall, though they themselves don't realize it. An outpost is located here – the city of Ust Natha, for the drow to never abandon this place of darkness. But it has been long since any conflict with the surface elves occurred. I am a guardian of the gates and the drow respect the border, never daring to attack stronger than in small raids, or disturb my lair. It was so until he came, Irenicus."

Daria clenched her fists very purposefully.

"He invaded my cave and stole my most precious treasure – my eggs! Now I cannot protect the gates to the surface, I cannot leave my lair, or they will be destroyed. It is most foul treason, the last straw after long list of sins and felonies the drow committed! This can be no longer!" the dragoness raised her voice, the voice of a despairing mother. All of sudden Daria got a fleeting impression as if she wasn't talking with a dragon at all. It was very strange since Adalon was as much a dragon, with her piercing voice and arrogant superior posture, as possible. She was strong… but she had a weakness. All as Viconia said.

"You must save my eggs, rescue them from Ust Natha, where Irenicus left them for the drow. Then I will open the door for you, the door leading where he went."

"You want us to get your eggs from the city of drow?" Daria asked for conformation listlessly. Did she have enough power already?

"You don't need to storm the city, Daria of Candlekeep. There are more subtle methods…"

"We are to enter Veldrin. Remember what I taught you. You are a female, you have a dominating position in drow society. Let no lowly male look down on you."

"I remember" Daria answered in fluent drow, noticing a guard standing by the gates leading inside the city. Seeing a sun elf before the gates the guard would immediately sound the alarm and move to stop them, but Daria didn't look like a sun elf anymore. Although the features of her face remained the same, only slightly slimmer as befit her new form, her skin was now much darker, black instead of well-tanned brown, her hair falling in white mess on her back rather than chestnut brown locks she rarely brushed. No longer violet, her eyes scanned the first creations of dark elven architecture Viconia told her so much about. Much more red eyes looked at her from the shadows. She answered the glare with her own red irises glowing in the dark, full of superior pride she gained practicing with the Shar's priestess in their camp, while repeating most common insults and ways to address her superiors and equals.

"We're doomed" a drow high-mage standing behind them, dressed in ornamented purple robes, groaned with Xan's voice. "It cannot possibly work… It simply won't work…" he kept mumbling.

"Who are you? There were no patrols scheduled for today! Identify yourselves!" Daria's brow furrowed when the male by the gates addressed her with such an obvious sign of disrespect.

"Silence, male worm!" she raised her voice. "I am Veldrin of Ched Nasad. Now hurry and open the gates!"

"Good" she heard Viconia mutter.

"Forgive me, by questioning you I was only fulfilling my duty. You were expected. Solaufein from the Society is waiting for you." The male bowed, but she noticed that his respect was far from sincere.

"Show me the way" Veldrin barked an order.

"I'm sorry I'm not allowed to leave my post…" he stopped smiling, already feeling complications were near.

"You dare to refuse?" The woman's tone rose to a shriek. That she also practiced.

"I… No, honored female. Please follow me." At last he did what he should, obeying respectfully. Males could be so hard to work with… Daria want as far as to think like a drow female. Up to now it seemed that visiting Ust Natha was going to be a good source of entertainment.

Jaheira watched her ward merging into the drow society barely able to keep her face as emotionless as was to be expected from a dark elf. Daria she knew, she taught, was changing just before her eyes, as if she was a completely different person. She used to be a good student, a good person, she listened when Jaheira taught her about balance, didn't make hasty decisions based on assumptions, always considered every aspect, seeking counsel when the situation wasn't clear. Headstrong she was and sometimes careless, but never meaninglessly cruel or manipulative. Gorion's teachings weren't lost in her... But when the Slayer came it simply stopped to matter.

Like a wild animal they desperately tried to tame, she began to shred all her civility, all of her mortal nature from the first step she made into wilderness. Faster and faster, each and every attachment and emotion were being cast away, like useless pageants Gorion spent his lifetime trying to train into his step-daughter, to cloak her hidden nature. Politeness, gentleness, care... Jaheira took up the same task after old mage's unfortunate death, becoming the new guardian for the sun elf. From the very beginning she was first and foremost meant to protect her from was inside her, rather than the outside world. And she thought that it wouldn't be easy, but she'd manage.

But in the end a wild animal could never be truly tamed. In a matter of days a careful well-mannered girl turned into blood-thirsty monster, uncaring for anything or anyone, with her power impossible to leash. And all Jaheira could do now was doubt herself, her beliefs, doubt if she did the right thing betraying Harpers. At the moment it seemed the right choice, Galvarey's reasons were selfish and ignorant, but that didn't make his decisions wrong. Daria was half-divine, and instrument of destiny, on a path of a prophecy which heralded death and destruction to entire Toril. She wasn't an evil person, but maybe that didn't matter as much as Jaheira hoped. Perhaps mortal's will couldn't leash the power of divine's blood and in the end all the druidess accomplished at was breaking her own heart, by calling a Daughter of Murder her own.

Jaheira struggled to keep her face emotionless. There was no one she could confess her worries, death took so many of her trusted friends already, many from the ones she loved. It would take her too, the protector of a Child of Bhaal, but that was her own choice. She would follow Daria till her very end.


	44. Ust Natha

„**Ust Natha"**

Daria the Slayer inhaled the scent of the city, weaving before her like a giant masterpiece of the drow culture, and savored the smell of hate and death hidden within its threads. Lloth had to be more than just a powerful goddess to keep together a race with such a deep inborn hate towards all others, and perhaps even more towards themselves, built into the very stone of their black hearts. And she fitted in perfectly, despite Viconia's warnings, able to equal them in the art of manipulation and even best some of the drow on the long run.

Solaufein was waiting for them by the entrance of the tavern. He was the one they were meant to meet inside the city, under his command they made their first steps in service of House Despana, the second most powerful house of Ust Natha. She remembered their first meeting…

A drow male, fully equipped for battle, in the darkest armor made from adamantine, a metal able to withstand everything but the touch of Sun, stood before the entrance to a strange construction carved with care inside a stalagmite. His brow furrowed with irritation at the sight of the group, he was clearly waiting for them, already forewarned of their arrival. His long white hair was more beautiful than Adalon's scales, contrasting with the back of his armor, the black of his skin, and probably the most with the black of his heart. Daria liked him instantly.

"You can call me whatever you want, it has no meaning to me" she introduced herself when he asked her name. She felt Jaheira tense, the druidess standing just before her back, in the range of the Slayer's inner eye. They all were tense, too tense to walk through the line drawn by the drow to distinguish potential servants from potential allies. There were risks involved, of course, but should things go wrong, the Slayer would be able to escape the city easily. Of course none of her companions would manage such a feat, mortal as they were, but why would she care? She simply wasn't able to.

A sarcastic smirk appeared on the drow warrior's face when he complimented her choice of words. They were to work together now. Of course none of them was that stupid to assume it equaled any measure of trust. But the entertainment could be worth it.

Solaufein was now waiting by the entrance, not because she was late, for she wasn't, not because he had something to tell her in private, for he hadn't, but because inside was waiting Phaere, Veldrin's current employer. And he had no intention of staying in her company.

The two were more than keen on avoiding each other's, though the drow female could conceal it better, as became a priestess of Lloth. Of course their superiors had to be aware of the animosity between them and were quite eager to assign them to work together. The first mission must have been the pinnacle of it, the first mission Daria's party was assigned to under Solaufein's command, when they rescued Phaere from the clutches of mind flayers.

"Oh? And who might be your companion?" the woman they just rescued asked Solaufein, noticing Daria in the shadow of the cave leading to the mind flayer's lair. She was a noble born drow female, used to keep her eyes away from the filth crawling beneath her feet, with voice used to giving orders, but also capable of soft whisper, beguiling those of status higher than hers to listen. Her face was of shape of heart, thin with eyes like rubies gleaming in the darkness of her skin, burning with unstoppable ambition. It was the person who would get her far, Daria reflected calmly.

"I am Veldrin of Ched Nasad." She bowed deeply, like was she was obliged before a daughter of House Despana.

"You are not from here? How interesting!" With pleasure Daria heard curiosity in Phaere's voice. The situation got even better when the daughter of the second house turned back to Solaufein, answering another one of his cutting remarks.

"Know your place male!" she couldn't even stand the notion of accepting his help in getting back to the city. Interesting.

"If something happens to you…" the warrior on the other hand was all too eager to go with her, even if he knew that persuasion wouldn't make the headstrong priestess change her mind.

Daria didn't listen to the conversation, preferring to look at the pair instead. Phaere was angry, but there was more to her anger than just the reactions at the obvious signs of disrespect Solaufein was showing and he on the other hand… He cared for Phaere's safety, even if only because his life wouldn't be worth much if she died under his protection. He cared and it meant more than much in drow society. It meant more than much for Daria, for Veldrin, who needed to raise her status quickly.

In the first day in the city she already met the two she decided to use to achieve her goals. There was something under the façade they both showed and finding out what it was could effectively make them her puppets on her way to the House Despana, the ones in possession of the eggs of the silver dragon. Now more than a week passed and the plan was beginning to clear in her head. The pair was not good enough alone. She needed a third piece – the matron mother of the House.

She lowered her head slightly, greeting Solaufein. It's been two days since she began to treat him as an equal, now being under Phaere's command. He was suspicious of her at first when she was still answering to him, he used to ask many questions, but now she rarely spared him more than a glance, which helped to ease his suspicions, though not erase them. He was a drow after all.

"This magic you're using, I've never heard such a chant, and the gestures are quite unusual, far beyond the standards taught in the academy. Where did you learn it?" It was the question he asked immediately, the moment she stopped the chant meaning to protect them all from the effect of rays of a beholder they were sent to hunt inside the city limits.

"Ched Nasad is the city of trade, male, and there are more types of magic than you can imagine" she disregarded his suspicions, fabricating a truth-like lie. And then she used it to her advantage, preparing a ground to learn more about the warrior. "I can help to broaden your imagination though… in exchange for some of the native spells from Ust Natha."

"I will consider it" he answered simply, maybe calmed, but not necessarily. He was a mage as well as a warrior and if he had at least a shred of ambition he would come to her, sooner or later, trying to gain something from her proposal. And she had many surfacers' secrets to sell. There was much to gain.

Yes, for her Ust Natha was like a king's treasure chamber, full of blind guardians. Here she could thrive without restrictions, and no stupid prejudice like Xan's could stop her from learning dark elves' magic, no mercy could hold her hand from trying out what she learned on the arena located below the tavern, using both beasts and sentient beings as her targets. She already built up a small legend on her own, defeating every mage foolish enough to challenge her on a duel, and then crushing her enemy to smoldering bits. Drow were famous of their magic, dark and powerful, but to her it seemed that they couldn't even grasp the potential it had, wasting their long lives on learning the simplest of cantrips. Only in her palms the magic danced obediently as it should, held by emotionless mind of immortal. Soon no monster or mage was up to challenge it and the tales of her abilities reached the ears of every matron mother of Ust Natha. Just as she planned. Little gore it involved was just a bonus.

If only her companions were as adequate as her… Up until now they made no serious mistakes, but even Viconia seemed to be at least slightly scared of the city and its gloom glory. Minsc was faring good enough, never saying a thing without being asked and generally avoiding eye contact, just like Viconia instructed him to. Valygar glared at the floor constantly, probably thinking only about leaving this place as soon as possible, Imoen withheld her curiosity since the moment she saw a mother killing her son only because he was causing her trouble, Jaheira wasn't herself even one bit, and Xan…

"My party should come just about this time" she continued, walking alongside Solaufein on the main platform, serving as a merchant square, hooked on the surrounding stalactites and stalagmites. "There was no need for us to deal with such an unsavory task, but I hope you'll keep it from reaching Phaere's ears." She laughed softly, a cruel, heartless laughter she easily adapted to her role.

"Phaere likes to make me dance as she wishes, but that doesn't mean I will" the drow uttered with disdain. "To think she sent me to kill filthy gnomes, like some sort of a recruit!" He held his emotions in check with skill coming from years of practice and she couldn't tell if his anger was genuine, but she knew that eventually she'd learn. After a day she spent with the drow in the libraries of his city she already knew enough to write a book herself, the one describing drow warrior's deep conviction to avoid Phaere and his reasons to do so.

"Veldrin…" she felt someone's hand on her bare shoulder and turned to see Xan standing before the rest of the party. The fool just addressed her so directly and put a hand on her bare skin.

She slapped him hard across the face, summoning up some fake anger to change her voice. No stray emotion made her hand tremble one bit. She felt _nothing_ clearer than ever.

"Never touch me again without permission" Daria barked. "…male scum!" Veldrin added.

He bowed before her deeply, as humbly as he could, finally showing the respect he should.

"Speak" she graced him.

"The task has been completed…" he began. A thin line of blood was coming from his cut lip.

Xan hated every moment of it, every second in this wretched illusion trapping him inside a shell of something he despised with all his heart. The black skin, the white hair, the red eyes – he couldn't look in the mirror, nor at his hands without being constantly reminded where and what he was. The strain was leaving his mark and he couldn't sleep well, or reverie, too tensed to let his mind drift off.

The cruelty of it all… He saw more of it than he could remember, more than he could take. People treated as slaves, those killed only as an entertainment for the bored drow resting in the tavern and those dealt unimaginable torments for this sole purpose… The only thing that kept him from doing something - anything! – was the thought that he would have to become the next source of entertainment in the following spectacle then and the only result it would have, would be that he'd doom them all without achieving anything.

All the lies… he was too terrified to speak in the presence of someone outside their team and Viconia requested from him to keep up this attitude. The drow for once stopped the current of sarcasm coming from her mouth and focused on keeping them from destroying their cover completely. Only in the room they rented in the inn they could find some little solace and rest, a private space protected with his and Daria's magic from any attempts of scrying.

They reached the relatively secure haven now, after another argument of their superiors this time ending much more harshly than the previous few they had to take part in. Daria was asked to come to Phaere's private quarters the next day and this did not bode well for them. Perhaps the time to take their choice about the future alliance has finally come. Each could lead them to a shallow grave, but it was more likely that they were to die no matter what they choose.

He threw his pack on the floor and fell heavily on one of the skillfully made armchairs in the main room they rented. From it three staircases led, each to a dark bedroom. He occupied the first, along with Minsc and Valygar. Imoen and Jaheira took the second and the last was occupied by Daria and Viconia. The doors to the last of the three doors were always closed and no one but its two occupants was let inside it. Xan preferred not to know why. He hated this place enough already.

"Daria, we need to talk" Jaheira began, trying to invite the sun elf to sit with her and Imoen by the table in a secluded corner of the room. The pair was preparing long for this conversation, but Xan knew that it was all in vain. What was happening could not be changed by words.

"Do we?" the diviner answered with a question, but sat on the chair nonetheless, in a comfortable pose, looking like every inch a drow, the impression deeper than illusion Adalon created.

"You are changing sis, and I don't mean the Slayer" Imoen began, her eyes stuck on the woman inside the dark skin, watching for her reaction with uncertainty. "I... We fear you might do something you will regret once you regain your soul."

"Like what?" Again a dry question. "Killing the drow in the arena? Becoming stronger? Keeping them alive? Or maybe helping them strengthen their status in the Underdark?"

"You have been dealing with the drow for some time already sis, you know..." Imoen unconsciously started to avoid the subject, just as if she was making explanations why the cookie jar was empty.

"Stop toying with us, child!" Jaheira interrupted the charade. She was born to play the angry side. "You..."

"You have guts to call a ten feet high clawed beast a child, Jaheira" Daria consisted, slightly amused.

"Don't make yourself a monster!" the druidess went on with the initial fury.

"Oh, but I am by all definitions a monster" the sun elf answered, smiling, just as if she was about to tell the finest joke. "I look like a horror coming live, take genuine pleasure from other's suffering and destroy all that stands on my way. If that doesn't make me a monster, than what will?"

"It's Bhaal telling you to do things!" Imoen was looked as if she was about to cry. "Don't listen to him!"

"Bhaal is dead!" Daria rose from her chair abruptly, keeping her fists at its surface. All eyes on the room turned to her. Now she was truly furious. "I am not possessed, there's a huge difference! Why? Because I'm finally myself now, without guilt for what I am, dragging me down like an anchor, without the fear of what I can become and without the guilt for what I didn't do!" This time the emotion didn't seem to be a pretense, not a façade she would use to impersonate a drow, and she let it speak through her, like if there was something inside her she needed to release. "I was a fool! I never felt the taint of Bhaal in my veins before my spirit was taken. All this stupid thoughts, guilt for enjoying the death of my enemies, petty acts of selfishness - it was not because half of me was divine, it was because half of me was mortal! And I thought it was the taint _whispering_ to me!" she barked out an unpleasant laughter. "How crude! The taint doesn't whisper. It's just power ready to be used. I lived months in fear only because of sheer stupidity!

That was what Irenicus wanted to tell me..." Daria paused, thinking. "I suppose I should thank him. Of course, he will have to die. But after I tear him to bloody pieces I might as well thank him."

"Daria..." Jaheira looked at her with torment in her eyes sobering the demigoddess a little.

"I know what you want to tell me, I can see it written all over your face" Daria began again, this time without the mock and the anger. "You want me to hold on to control, not to give in to the taint. Know that control requires will and that is born in one's soul, therefore I will not control a thing unless my spirit is recovered. And know one more thing. I am the Slayer. I am a monster just as much as I am an elf, a diviner, a mage. There's no pull to murder, but there's a choice. And I choose to murder instead of being murdered."

"I…"

"Good night, Jaheira" Daria didn't let her finish, but she didn't cut sharp with her words, like she often did, it sounded more like an apology. If she had her spirit Xan would say the way she said those words was… caring.

The Slayer was boiling inside her, that was how she felt. After the last conversation with Jaheira she felt uneasy and couldn't focus. Her vision was becoming blurry, but she held that feeling in check. Some of her inner struggle must have been evident on her face however, because Phaere noticed it the moment she entered the room.

"Veldrin… It's good you're on time, as always" Phaere greeted her and Daria cursed internally, trying to fit in her role as a drow as fast as possible. She let her thoughts linger on Jaheira too long!

"I have another task for you, more of a private one this time, but on the other hand this could wait. I see you are tense, Veldrin. You didn't have much time to relax since you came to our city, did you? A pity…" Phaere turned to one of the slaves serving as her cabin boy. "Bring my best one!" she threw an order, her voice changing from pleasant whisper to arrogant snarl in one instant. Veldrin's mask was in place already, but Daria couldn't neglect the fact that it wasn't there when she entered.

"You brought many services to my house and to me…" the drow priestess continued when the servant scuttled to fulfill her wish. "It's not right for you to go unrewarded." The attempt to endear herself to the powerful mage from Ched Nasad was obviously evident, but that was also the part of the game. Phaere noticed the handsome drow male coming inside, lead by the serving boy. He bowed his head to Phaere, then to Veldrin and the females from her party, standing behind her.

"This is one of my most talented pleasure slaves" the drow introduced her property, not even caring to give any name to the slave. The silence behind Daria's back became significantly louder. "He's yours for four hours, along with a room of course. When you finish we'll talk about your task."

"Don't even dare to think about refusing. It's a fatal insult" Viconia whispered behind her back, quiet as a breath. Daria could feel her companion's hands clenching on their weapons, their eyes widening. The time slowed down to a lazy flow as Phaere waited for an answer.

"I'm honored" Veldrin said, lowering her head, as a drow should before her better. The handsome slave offered her his arm and led her to a room. She closed the door tightly behind her.


	45. The Fool's Play

„**The Fool's Play"**

Finally he knew how long the eternity was. It was exactly four hours. Four hours it took for her to leave the room of Phaere's quarters in Society. Four hours they spent in the room, while the owner of the house was taking care of her business, never leaving them without surveillance.

Veldrin came out without any expression on her dark features, the exact copy of Daria's face only dipped in rich black, but she smiled at Phaere, a smile of a drow of course, with no joy present in forming of her lips. The drow slave walked behind her, his eyes back on his mistress. Xan hated the look of a person satisfied with his work the drow was wearing.

"Now, to the task at hand" Phaere obviously thought she already bought herself a new ally. "I want you to kill Solaufein."

"What?" he didn't stop himself on time and he spoke that out loud. Fortunately the priestess didn't listen to him, looking at Veldrin and her only, who now sat in front of her by the table the rest of her party wasn't even allowed to touch. The slave already disappeared behind the door and Xan felt his stomach twisting at the thought that the drow was probably tired. He felt deeply sickened, his head hurting like if it was being crushed. He had no idea what was stopping him from charging at Phaere this very moment, even if it would mean he had to use his fists to fight her. He wanted this to stop, this game of false smiles, he wanted the drow woman to die for what she had just done, for all the hurt she had caused. But again the fear stopped him from doing anything.

"Of course" Daria didn't seem one bit shocked by the request, more as if she was expecting such order. She sat on the chair relaxed, comfortable, just like she wasn't when entering the room. The mask was on place. Or maybe it wasn't a mask anymore.

"I've got enough of his constant insults. Soon the temple may take it as a sign of my weakness. Unfortunately attacking him outwardly may start a war between my house and his. You, on the other hand, have no such liaisons…"

"How do you want me to do it?"

"However you want, Veldrin, just make sure that no evidence links my house with his death. Bring me his piwafwi as a proof of the deed."

"I'll do it tonight." Daria stood up to walk away without permission, but Phaere let that little insult pass.

The drow wizardess Veldrin entered the room they rented first and went straight to her bedroom, without looking back at anyone, almost as if the proud drow wizadress wanted to escape their eyes. She only stopped by the door, without turing back to them, and became Daria the diviner from Candlekeep for a moment.

"Viconia, could you come with me? I need you" she lied, speaking in Common. She only needed Viconia to cover up for her on another solitary escapade. And she needed someone to… be there while she was gone. All for the facade.

"It was that rough?" the drow mocked, but Daria was already behind the door.

"I'm here for Solaufein of the Male Fighter's Society" Veldrin announced calmly upon her arrival in the compound, without the flash of the dominan female. She didn't need a lot of attention, just enough for a servant to lead her to her target's room. Alone she hoped to pass undetected by anyone who might remember her face from her exploits in the city, especially in the tavern.

A young drow male, a boy not even nearing puberty stepped from the shadows and bowed his head before her, without looking into her eyes, a proper respect to be shown to a female as powerful as her. Her party could learn a lot by mimicking his behavior. They didn't have the courage to act as masters, so they should at least try to appear convincing as servants.

"Lead the way, child" she ordered, satisfied with his behavior, another empty mask of a superior drow. The boy bowed again and began to walk without saying a word.

The Society's quarters were built simply, with straight corridors rarely adorned with any ornaments or symbols, and completely unprotected in the terms of magic. The path leading to Solaufein's chamber was easy enough for her to remember and that was more than convenient given the fact that she wasn't willing to inform anybody of her departure. With the lack of magic seals to guard the construction, using teleportation wouldn't pose any problem should the situation become difficult.

"Be gone" she dismissed the boy servant. He hurried to escape her sight like a little black mouse, disappearing back into the darkness. Veldrin opened the door and entered, not bothering to knock. Assassins rarely knocked to her door when coming after her.

She caught Solaufein while preparing to rest – without armor, leather or adamantine, or as much as thick shirt, his sword placed too far away for him to reach quickly, only a small dagger she knew he always carried with him, hidden in his shoe. A good moment.

"Veldrin, what are you doing here…?" he asked, when she closed the door behind her and began to walk in his direction, calmly. Just a step from him she drew her dagger, Dragon's Tooth, and only then he realized what was happening.

His own dagger appeared in his hand in an instant, with instincts saving him from the surprise attack. The two small blades clashed, but drow's weapon was only a barely enchanted piece of adamantine. The Tooth began to burn through it instantly, melting metal dripping on the carpet and starting a small fire Daria crushed under her foot.

The drow's fist shot forward aiming for his opponent's face, but Veldrin was too quick. He thought he would overpower her with ease shortening the distance, but when small female's hand closed around his wrist he felt as if he was held by a stone golem, so unwavering her grip was. She was much stronger than he expected and if not for his trained reflexes he'd take a stab in his chest the moment his dagger finally broke.

He slipped from her grasp and jumped behind his bed trying to set a barrier between them. With her impossible strength he needed to attack more carefully, but before he had any time to think Veldrin sent a flashing Magic Missile after him. Only a split second before the spell hit him he managed to utter the power word to summon up a Shield spell, bouncing off her magic harmlessly. He began to chant.

'An excellent fighter and a decent mage' Veldrin praised him silently. But she didn't have the time for playthings. Her skin began to harden…

"Master Solaufein?" A child, the same which lead her to this room, appeared by the door probably lured by the noise. Slayer's half-way transformed arm shot forward closing around little drow's neck before it could scream, lifting it up as if she lifted a curious flower she wanted to take a closer look at.

Solaufein used the moment to attack, after all she did expose her side while turning to the child. The agile warrior leapt forward, but surprisingly, instead of aiming at her relatively unprotected side, where he had a chance to do some damage and scratch one or two of her scales even with his broken dagger, he thrust it at her arm, the one holding the child. She pushed him off effortlessly, tearing a bloody gush on his chest with her fingers, already hard as talons.

"No, wait!" the warrior shouted, getting from the ground stained with his blood. "I give up. Just leave the child alone."

"Caring, Solaufein?" Now that was beginning to be interesting, she thought feeling the Slayer's anger leaving her. He thought that such a moronic deception wold give him another chance for attack. She laughed in drow's face, but released her grip on the child's neck so it could breathe easily. "Not a very suitable attitude for a drow" she mocked.

"No. I… will not fight you if you release the child."

Daria stopped laughing. He wasn't joking. He really was going to surrender if she did what he asked. She dropped the child taking one more look at it.

It was a servant of his house, plain and simple. Daria took a closer look at the coughing drowling. It bore no resemblance to the warrior, none at all, it was more than unlikely that they were related and besides, such bonds meant surprisingly little among the drow. Without thinking much she cast a spell, the same she used on Phaere's slave today, altering child's memories to a version more beneficial to her. There was a small resistance to her spell at first, due to natural drow immunity to magic, but she learned enchantments from the best. The child drow's eyes became blank for a short moment and after a second he blinked a few times trying to focus his sight on her. Then the boy realized what he was doing and quickly lowered his eyes to the ground, not to look directly at her.

"Go somewhere else" she ordered and he soundlessly run out of the room, probably not even noticing Solaufein, his sight so hard kept to the floor. A cling of a dagger hitting the stone uncovered by the hole burned in the carpet made Daria turn to look at Solaufein, standing few steps from her, unarmed, with his face grim.

"Phaere sent me to kill you, Solaufein" she explained expressionlessly.

"I know" the drow sighed. His wound covered his chest with blood, but he did nothing to stop the flow. He really was giving up. How could this be a trap?

"I won't do it" she decided. The Slayer wasn't interested in his blood now and she never was. She took a healing potion from her pack and offered soundlessly, Viconia's litany of distrust forgotten. He looked at her surprised, but took the bottle, drinking up the bluish liquid, his hand trembling, either from some emotion or the pain he was too controlled to show in any other way. And then she helped him to sit on his bed and asked.

"Tell me your story."

"I expected this from a long time" he answered. He didn't ask for her reasons, perhaps he didn't want to know what made her spare his life, or perhaps he thought she didn't, that she just postponed his death sentence for interrogation's sake. "No house or connections could save me from assassin's dagger thrust in my back. I and Phaere were once…lovers" There was an emotion in drow's voice, something long suppressed. He would probably tell her that even if she hadn't asked. "But Matron Ardulace decided that she was caring for me in ways inappropriate for her heiress and she was taken to the temple. They were torturing her with tentacle rods…it's a torment I can't even begin to describe. When the priestess' finished all that was left of Phaere I knew was her ambition. And I became a last reminder of her weakness…"

Solaufein risked a look at Veldrin and he saw a drow face wearing compassion, maybe the first time in his life.

"I need your cloak to prove your death to Phaere, but I will not strike you again" she held his hand. It was trembling badly. Not much control for a life in the darkness. Maybe there were limits to everything, but she never heard anyone saying that even a drow couldn't be cruel all the time. "I'd like you to hide, at least till the time we leave."

"Leave? Back to Ched Nasad?" he asked now even more confused. "No, you're talking about something else, aren't you?"

"We are going to the surface, back where we came from, after we retrieve Adalon's eggs to her. The ones we are chasing had already passed this way. If you want, you can come with us" she offered, hesitating only for an unimportant moment.

"Go with you to the Surface?" Solaufein looked at her astounded. "I… I would like to see Eilistraee's face at least once in my lifetime." The drow smiled seeing that this time he surprised her. "The Spider Queen has no hold over my heart, I serve only lady Silverhair. Should anyone find out about it, it would be my death, but I think you I can trust. I'd be happy to see the surface with you Veldrin, if you'll have me.

"My real name is Daria." It felt weird when something happened to her face and not even realizing when, she smiled.

"She left some time ago. She said that she'd take care of it alone." Viconia'e eye appeared in a narrow fissure between the doorframe and the door, leading inside the bedroom she shared with Daria.

"You let her alone in such state?" Jaheira yelled, putting her foot into the gap, effectively stopping the drow from closing the door, even despite her best efforts. Adamantine enhanced boots weren't going to give up that easily.

"She's in better state than you, mongrel, better than me!" Viconia went into a counter-attack, now that retreat wasn't possible. "Such petty little details can't possible hurt her."

"You sicken me." Jaheira didn't care to spare even another look at Viconia. She walked to the main door, knowing that it was the time for her to do something, opening it just in time to see Daria reaching for the handle.

"I'm back." The black-skinned elf greeted her expressionlessly. In her hands there was a dark purple cloak, a drow piwafwi. "We should go to Phaere."

And Jaheira knew that she was once again too late.

"So you come back. I take it that the task is completed?"

"The cloak is for you, my mistress." Veldrin offered her the piwafwi, with her best servile smile, kneeling on her one knee.

"Not even stained. Well done." The dark priestess examined the fabric with raised eyebrows. Her slim hand slid through the smooth surface.

"He didn't have it on him when I killed him. Or anything else at that" Daria scanned Phaere's featured for and reaction, any emotion. She saw her hand twitch almost unnoticeably. She'd doubt she saw it, were she not soulless.

"I hope he didn't give you any trouble" the priestess asked, perhaps a bit too coldly.

"Trouble? Oh no, mistress, I enjoyed this task _thoroughly_. It was almost a pity I had to kill him in the end." Daria drilled the needle. Phaere's knuckles whitened when she clenched her fingers on piwafwi. Whatever the priestess was imagining Veldrin did was more than she could disregard. "And please don't worry about the body. No trace of it will ever be found."

"Well done!" So false, so clear a tone rang in her voice. So she did care for him still… It was more than Veldrin could ever hope for. A clear soft spot, a weakness perfect to be used, for distraction, manipulation, whatever she wished. "You've proved yourself to be a most valuable asset to House Despana. It's time to introduce you to Matron Mother Ardulace. Come with me to the temple and… take your companions as well. Matron will be pleased to meet you."

Yes, they'd go to meet the great Matron of the Second House, but Veldrin was to lead in this dance, now that she knew Phaere, just as Adalon, just as anyone with a soul, had her weakness.


	46. Old Fires

„**Old Fires"**

„I see you found drow males to your taste" Viconia finally gave herself a break from shepherding their party and made an attempt to relax, returning to her sarcastic snarls the moment they reached their secure rooms.

"I didn't have much choice" Daria answered simply. She was considering how to breach the subject of Solaufein joining their team, but something told her that the time wasn't right just yet. The drow warrior went into hiding with a promise to learn as much as he could about silver dragon's eggs and plans the House Despana had for them. The confrontation could be delayed for few more days they had to complete the tasks they received under the command of Matron Ardulace. Until then she'd rather not mention either him or Phaere's slave, whom she served a memory altering enchantment, one she copied from Xan's spellbook actually, without his consent of course. Half of her party was already on the verge of nervous breakdown, only Minsc and Viconia seemingly holding up, and news of a serious risk she took in both cases could only cause the explosive mix to go off.

That, and they didn't deserve to know what was happening with her.

"Perhaps it's time for you to learn the pleasures drow society has to offer. Care a visit in Lust Chambers?" Viconia seemed to ask seriously, even despite the mocking tone of voice.

"Now wait a second, Viconia! What you're saying is just preposterous! I will not let you do any more harm to her, she suffered enough!" The familiar old fire woke in Jaheira, waking her from the indifference she made her mask in Ust Natha.

"You won't?" But the drow knew exactly how to put it out. "You weren't that keen on protecting her when somebody had to bed Phaere's pleasure slave." The drow cut where it hurt.

"I…" Jaheira's anger flickered and extinguished. But Viconia didn't finish just yet.

"And how about the all-caring attitude…" she opened her mouth to repress the half-elf even further, but a hand placed on her shoulder stopped her. A hand that didn't want another argument.

"Let's go" Daria asked. Viconia snickered and turned her back to the druidess.

With all the eyes turned on them no one noticed Xan sneaking out of the room.

"It's one of the most popular places of entertainment, next to the arena you like to visit frequently. I'm sure you've had enough of wimps by now, so perhaps…" Viconia kept talking as they entered the Lust Chambers, rich with scents of many perfumes and pieces of what the drow called art. Veldrin didn't even pretend to listen to her, but the priestess didn't realize it anyway, more than satisfied with today's events. It was a moment of triumph for her, the sign of power he held over the Child of Bhaal. So she allowed herself a little time triumphing.

"You, male!" Both women heard just behind their backs, a commanding voice of a priestess of Lloth, turning to some drow either fortunate or unfortunate enough to draw her attention. There were many of such voices here and this one wasn't any different.

"M-me?" Daria heard Xan's voice answering. She sharply turned back to see the purple-clad enchanter being approached by a woman certainly of a high position in the hierarchy of Houses. You could tell that just from the looking at her chin, raised almost to the ceiling.

"Yes, you, you in the robes. Come closer. I wish to have a good look at you."

Xan was almost paralyzed with fear, watching the high priestess making her way in his direction like an unstoppable dark doom. He raised his eyes to look at Daria, seeing she noticed he was following her, now cold and unfriendly, like a merciless goddess holding his fate in her hands. And then she made a step in his direction.

"Here you are male!" The diviner ignored the priestess completely, turning to the ash-colored enchanter. "I was getting sick of waiting for you, but you're here at last. Come" she stepped before him, cutting him off from the demanding handmaiden of Lloth.

"Wait. I saw him first." The woman stopped her before Veldrin had the time to push the terrified enchanter towards the exit.

"And what gives you the authority to command one of my males?" Veldrin, a powerful wizardess in favor of the Second House rose to her full height.

"You dare address me as an equal, whereas you are barely more than a slave yourself?" the drow woman stated with dark joy in her red eyes. "Amusing. Yes, I know you, Veldrin of Ched Nasad, which may be more than you deserve. I am Hunrae of the First House, and this male will go with me. Do I make myself clear?" This was bad, Xan thought feverishly. Even if she wanted she wouldn't be able to save him now. "Now step aside."

"No." Veldrin claimed harshly. It was all becoming worse and worse. And to think he came thinking he could do something, protect her, to stop this madness. Now she was protecting him and was going to blow their cover because of that. No drow female would ever cross her superior because of a man.

"You are nothing to me and yet you risk raising your eyes over a mere male? What say you male?" the priestess turned to Xan and he felt his feet rooting into the floor, his racing heart crying for him to run and ruin everything. "You feel honored to be chosen, of course, and the only obstacle is this impudent female next to you. Tell, me male… do you wish her out of the way?"

He didn't. He wished as strongly as he could for Daria to remain just where she was. To go with the Handmaiden… it would be unthinkable, to let it happen. It was impossible for him to accept it. What Daria was forced to… What she had to suffer for them to remain in this guise… He couldn't do it.

He sighed. "Most powerful female, I… cannot honor your request" he began, trying to think of a reason fast.

"What? What do you mean, 'cannot'?" The way Hunrae said this word finally gave him a ready solution, an effective if humiliating one.

"I, ah… Veldrin, will you explain my predicament?" Xan turned to Daria. He saw her tensed, but now relaxing. She knew he had a plan.

"Have you no tongue for yourself, male? Speak!"

"This is no possible. Physically." A humiliation, but that he could almost gladly suffer.

"Ah. You do not lie, I see." The Handmaiden lost all her fervor. "So why not tell me at once? Your female kept intervening as if you were the best lover in Ched Nasad!"

"Well, she…"

The Handmaiden didn't listen, walking away, muttering curses under her breath. Veldrin didn't watch the priestess leaving, instead took his arm brutally and dragged him outside.

"To the inn. And never came back here unless you really want to" she whispered angrily. She couldn't say much more here in the open. They could only ease their guard in their scrying-proof chambers.

"I… You're not coming?"

"No. Now go." She pushed him forward harshly and he had no other option but to go.

"What was that supposed to mean?" Viconia's eyes narrowed when she turned to her protégée, finding her in the crowd. She watched the entire event from the shadows and the result was far from satisfying. "You had him on your plate! You could have just left him there with the angry witch!"

"I don't know. I acted on impulse" Daria explained, imitating humility.

"You still feel something towards him." It was the worst accusation Viconia could think of.

"I thought like that for a moment, but no. It's most likely what's left of my divinations told me that he will ruin out carefully built disguise, because he would deny her." It was perfectly logical and probably true. Certainly she didn't feel anything when Xan was approached and his fear didn't cause her to react in any way. It was but an impulse, a fleeting, unimportant impulse.

"So be it" the dark elf settled with this explanation. "But don't try anything like that again. It would be a pity if Shar lost such a promising acolyte" she added threatening.

Daria was surprised. Such a boorish threat. Did Viconia really think she cared about her petty goddess and any sort cult? She didn't care about anything anymore. She suddenly realized that it was what the drow priestess was trying to do all this time, by teaching her. Bind her to herself, make her a powerful tool. A Bhaalspawn, the Slayer... Powerful indeed. She could get more than she ever wished for. But… should the sun elf be able to feel anything she really could be emotionally tied to Viconia, after suffering from Irenicus' hand, heartbroken and shunned from her friends. The problem was that she didn't feel.

Well, at least that one was clear. From the beginning it was obvious that the drow would try to use her, but Daria didn't expect Viconia's attempts of manipulation would be so crude. She probably overestimated the dark elf… But that hardly mattered. She began to walk back to the inn ignoring any questions from Viconia. She lost the interest in her schemes.

"You didn't kill him?" Jaheira yelled. But then she hastily corrected herself, realizing she's sounding like a bloodthirsty matron. "You didn't kill him because he was good in bed?" That sounded even worse, but it was essentially what she was going to argue about. "Our lives are at risk every second we spend here, we have to watch our every move and every impulse and you let a drow you were sent to kill live and tell him all about who we are and our goals? And for what! For…"

It was meant to happen, sooner or later. They spent few days relatively safe. Relatively, because hunting ancient beholders in their own lair was safe only compared to pretending a drow in the middle of dark elven city. When they came back to report results of their hunt to matron mother, then, more secretively, to Phaere, and get some well deserved rest in their rooms in the tavern, Solaufein was already waiting for them in their supposedly impenetrable hideout.

"Jaheira, calm down" Daria raised her hands in a defensive gesture, standing before the furious druid and Solaufein, who just came with a report his findings he gathered through the last few days. "There's been a misunderstanding. Solaufein is a new member of our party and he's going with us to the surface, no beds involved. In Eilistraee's name."

"And it didn't occur to you that he may be lying, only waiting to sell us out to his Matron Mother?" Jaheira's long suppressed fury finally found a let-out.

"No, never." The furious druid fell silent. Something in the eyes of the sun elf stopped her, something… silver?

"Step aside Jaheira. I will take care of this" Valygar drew his katana and stepped before the druid. Daria immediately clung to the drow warrior, shielding him.

"If you want to kill him you will have to face the Slayer first." Jaheira almost couldn't believe her ears hearing Daria protect the drow so fiercely, but Solaufein somehow looked even more surprised.

"Jaheira, Valygar! When are you going to begin to trust her?" Imoen joined her sister, turning her back to the drow with some fleeting hesitation. "She says he's going to help us, co could you at least consider having some faith?" The pink-headed drow was beginning to sniff.

Xan didn't join the argument. He barely said a word since he came back after trying to follow Daria. Viconia smiled, watching the conflict.

"I understand your worries" Solaufein of all the people tried to calm the situation. "I didn't want to cause any discord among you. I know it's not easy to accept me, but I'm not here to cause you any harm. I just want to help Veldrin… Daria and repay her for sparing my life. And I assure you that there is no way for me to come back to my house, even if I betray you. All I ask is a chance to prove my worth."

A long moment of silence answered his speech.

"I will trust you… Daria" Jaheira finally spoke. "This one last time."

Daria turned to Valygar.

"So be it" the ranger snarled. He sheathed his weapon. "But I will watch your every move drow." This seemed to be good enough to the leader of their chaotic group. Daria stepped away from Solaufein letting him to take a sit by the table. Valygar took his promise seriously, watching every move the warrior made.

"The ritual will take place tomorrow" Daria summarized, more to focus them on the current task, than as a reminder. "Matron Ardulace wants to make an offering from the dragon's eggs to a demon lord from Abyss, in exchange for his help in the war against the surface elves they are planning. The whole venture is Irenicus' idea and he's already out on the surface, preparing for an attack. But Phaere gave us those…" the sun elf pointed the duplicates. "…false eggs, so we'd replace them with the originals, which are in Despana House treasury, as she kindly informed us, using the key she gave us. I say we steal the eggs and scram."

"It's impossible." Solaufein shook his head. "Matron Ardulace sealed all the city gates with her personal seal. No one will get out or go in without her permission before the ritual takes place."

"So then…" Daria took a moment to think.

"I made another copy of the eggs" the drow warrior dared to say, unused to take initiative. It's been longer than he'd want to, since the last time he was engaged into a case that he'd put his heart into. "I saw Phaere make a copy while following her, so I decided to do the same. She most likely marked hers, but mine are without this mark…"

"So there are three groups of eggs" Daria fell in his thought. "To save the true ones from being sacrificed we need to swap them with marked copies Phaere gave us. Then the unmarked copy would go to Phaere…"

"…and the real eggs would be ours and the proper ritual will not take place" Xan ended. "If only it could be done as easily as you make it sound."

"You lost me. " Jaheira lifted up her hands in defeat. "But as long as you know which ones are which I'm fine with this plan. But then the next problem is: how do we get out?"

"Matron Ardulace has to die" Solaufein stated. All eyes turned to him sharply. "There's no other way" he sighed. "Only then her seal will be uplifted. Stealing it won't help, she'd still be the only person able to use it."

"Assassinating the Matron Mother of the House, do I have to remind you how hopeless this task is? We have one night, there's no way we could possibly succeed!" Xan found the obvious weak spot in their plan in less than a second.

"He's right" Solaufein admitted disheartened. "The Matron has a trained squad of assassins, warriors and mages protecting her at every time. And before the ritual the guards in the temple will be even more watchful than usual. There's no way for us to catch her alone."

"Except during the ritual" Daria stated calmly, silence falling over the table. "Phaere ordered me to come."

"That's crazy, Daria!" Imoen panicked. "You'd be there alone with two powerful priestesses and a demon lord!"

"I'll be fine." The sun elf tried to dismiss her worries. She was surprised that anyone was worrying about her still. It was a kind of an insult to the Slayer.

"No, you won't be! You're not immortal sis, no matter how powerful you feel! I can't let you go there alone." Imoen didn't stop and Daria knew she wouldn't be able to calm her sister so easily. After weeks in Ust Natha Imoen was on the verge.

"Phaere invited only me and the possibility that she'd change her mind is very unlikely. I'll be fine Imoen, or at least I promise I'll kill Ardulace. Then I will run."

"Sis… you haven't slept since you came here, did you?" The rogue changed the subject suddenly. So that was what was bothering her… Yes, Daria forgot her room could still be scried from the inside of the protective barrier she put around their temporary dwelling. It was no surprise that Imoen spied on her. She should have thought about it, she knew her sister well.

"You've been awake for sixteen days!" Xan lost his composure, but instantly recovered. "If you're going to faint because of exhaustion tomorrow you'll doom us all."

"I'll take care of stealing the eggs from the treasury, sis. Go got some sleep." Daria looked as if she was to protest, but Solaufein didn't let her.

"I'll help your sister, Vel… Daria. Don't worry about the magical defenses."

"I don't, I just…" she tried to say something, but she was interrupted again.

"I'll go too." Valygar had the last word.

"Where is she?" The barrier closing the gates disappeared only five seconds ago, but Jaheira was already getting impatient.

"Probably still in the temple. The seal is broken - Ardulace must have died, so all must be going according to a plan. Don't panic." Imoen answered Jaheira, or perhaps she was only talking to herself.

"There are thousands of possibilities for something to happen. And with her luck… There's no way she's going to make it" Xan despaired.

"We must trust Daria!" Minsc shouted, startling them all. They didn't hear him for that long that they got unused to his thundering voice. Luckily Xan secured the corner where they were waiting with a spell muffling the noises. "You are right Boo, we must trust Daria! She didn't fail us when we came to Nashkel, looking for help to rescue our witch, lost and confused. When sweet Dynaheir died, she didn't let us down, freeing us from the cage in the dungeon, she protected us and led us to the surface! And when we thought that she was killed by mad Irenicus, she survived and found us again, though it must have been HARD! Daria ever let down Minsc and Boo, so Minsc and Boo will trust Daria! Do you hear evil? MINSC AND BOO WILL TRUST THEIR FRIEND!"

Xan's Silence enchantment shivered, but held. The evil didn't hear.

"That's the spirit, Minsc!" Imoen cheered up. "You're right Boo! Sis will be fine. She faced Irenicus, she faced Bodhi, and she even faced her taint so far! My sis is a survivor!" The pink-head turned to the entrance on to the platform, expecting that Daria was already there, as a confirmation to her words. The sun elf wasn't there.

"She'll come any minute now" she confirmed, smiling shakily.

"The temple is on the other side of the city. It will take her some time to get here." Solaufein sighed. His eyes were stuck to the same point as Imoen's.

"If something goes wrong we should leave. We have the eggs, that's why we came here, right?" Valygar pointed out another option, which Imoen instantly rejected.

"You want us to leave my sister alone in here?"

"She knows the way to the Adalon's cave, doesn't she? We're in much more danger than she is now, probably. Should someone catch us with Adalon's eggs…"

"I'm not going to make her cross the Underdark all alone. And she might get lost! She doesn't have her divinations anymore!" Imoen protested wholeheartedly.

"Then how long do you propose to wait before she shows up? And if she doesn't?" Valygar asked coldly.

Imoen became purple with rage, but Viconia put a hand on her shoulder.

"It's only typical for a male to want to save his skin" she purred provocatively. "Flee, if you're such a coward, Valygar, but leave the eggs with us. We'll do a better job in protecting them, you sniveling wimp!"

"Viconia!" Jaheira raised her voice. Xan slowly raised his hand to his forehead. This conversation was pointless. Neither of them was going to move from place until Daria came back, no matter what they said, but starting a fight here, on the main platform of the city, now, that they finally had the eggs and only minutes were separating them from the moment when they'd be able to finally leave the place… That was indeed hopeless. He took another glance at the crowd.

A face appeared among the drow, Daria's face. He sighed with relief and then realized an important detail that any drow would notice on a first glance. Daria's face. Brown skin, chestnut hair, violet eyes. Daria's face.

"Corellon's mercy!" he cried, but that wasn't enough to interrupt the fight his companions were so absorbed with. Only Solaufein didn't take part in it, but he didn't notice the sun elf in the crowd yet. She was trying to hide her face in the cowl of a probably stolen piwafwi, only a low level enchantment of distracting protecting her from unwanted attention. One more careful glance and she would be discovered.

"Stop fighting!" Xan shouted. He grabbed someone's arm and began to walk in the elven woman's direction, putting all his effort in steadying his pace. He didn't need to draw any attention on her. He was just going to walk up to her, calmly, like if nothing was happening, stand on her left side, the other person covering her right, and they were going to walk out through the gates without any problems… No one's going to notice anything… He realized he's repeating it in his head and tried to stop.

Solaufein, the owner of the arm he grabbed so unceremoniously, bit his lip noticing Daria at last.

"Walk up to her right" Xan hissed. The drow nodded. Daria didn't change her pace and they fell into the right rhythm, appearing by her both sides. She sent them two fugitive glances and pulled the cowl lower to cover her skin in a shadow that made it almost as black as drow's. Soon Jaheira and Viconia appeared before her, two authentically angry females making a passage in the crowd. Minsc, Imoen and Valygar took the position as the rear guard, marching in steady but fast pace.

The moment they crossed the gates they simultaneously began to run.


	47. A Surface Night and a New Day

„**A Surface Night and a New Day"**

The illusions peeled off their skins effortlessly enough, Xan made sure that no trace of drow features would remain on any of them. They set a camp halfway to Adalon's cave, crossing the distance in a steady and practiced desperate run, meaning to set as much space from the cursed city of drow as possible. Just when they were too exhausted to run anymore they stumbled on an empty cave, one looking safe enough for a camp. There they unloaded their packs, the one containing Adalon's eggs put delicately on the ground, and fell on the ground, completely exhausted, both physically and mentally. Removing their disguises so soon probably wasn't the wisest of what they could do, but Daria's companions seemed to have dreamed of this moment for such a long time, that waiting even one more day was more than they could take.

Daria summoned a silver fire to swirl on the stone floor, a fireplace of a sort, bringing them light, warmth and most importantly comfort. It had to do for their camp for now.

"Now that we're all in our rightful forms, I say it's time to make a proper introduction to Solaufein" the leader of the worn-out group began, turning to the drow sitting by her right. A group moan consisting mainly of "I don't care", "It's hopeless" and "Let me rest" answered her.

"This is Xan" she began from her left, ignoring all protests as if they were on a mixed company party, rather than escaping in the middle of the Underdark. "He will hate you at the beginning because you're a drow, but eventually he'll get used to you and he will manifest it by prophesying your early death."

"Do you really think we'll live long enough for anyone to get used to us?" The elf asked rhetorically.

"This is Valygar" Daria continued, ignoring ranger's scowl. "He will hate you because you are a mage, but he's already slowly realizing that magic can be used to much more than just killing infants and kicking puppies, so you'll just have to give him some time."

Valygar muttered an incoherent curse.

"This is Jaheira" she went on. "She will hate you because I like you and most likely will try to threaten you to do what she wants. This party would be long since gone if it weren't for her."

"Child, what do you mean, you like him?" the druidess demanded an answer, but Daria already turned to her sister. There was a strange smile on her face and that was even more terrifying than plain anger.

"This is Imoen. She will not hate you, but instead she'll play a lot of humiliating and occasionally dangerous pranks on you. It's an usual sign of affection from her."

Imoen sent Solaufein a joking kiss. Valygar's glare only deepened.

"Viconia, on the other hand, will hate you only because you exist. She will try to seduce you, manipulate you, or kill you, depending on the mood."

"I don't like this description, my acolyte." Viconia furrowed her narrow brows. She'd have to work some on Daria for her to show he proper respect. Ust Natha seemed to spoil her too much.

"And at last, Minsc, the safe mainstay of this team, the only person you can always unconditionally trust. He's also the most mentally stable of us all."

Minsc grinned cheerfully at the drow warrior, letting Boo take a sniff at him.

"What do you think, Boo?" he asked aloud. "He seems trustworthy enough."

"I…" Solaufein glanced suspiciously at the hamster.

"They all look battered and tired so much because… the drow city didn't fall to their taste. It's not a pleasant place for a surfacer to be, you know?" Daria glanced at her party again. They all looked as if they were about to fall asleep on the spot.

"But you don't look tired at all…" Solaufein noticed. That was true. Daria looked normal, or even better than normal, considering her previous state. There was a healthy flush on her cheeks, her eyes were looking vigilantly and sharply, with silver of the fireplace reflected in them, in one sentence – she looked as if she just woke up in her bed, ate a rich breakfast, took a refreshing bath and was ready to face whatever came her way. And this time she didn't need an illusion to create that effect.

"Yes, but that's because…"

"Tell us what happened." Xan interrupted her. He really didn't want to hear that again. Not this careless 'I have no spirit'. "How come your illusion faded?"

"I… had a run in with a demon…" the sun elf began carefully, already expecting her companion's reaction.

"By Silvanus' Horns, child, you should have told me you need healing!" Jaheira jumped up from her sit, but elf's slim brown hand pushed her gently back to sit.

"I'm not hurt. It killed Ardulace and Phaere" Daria felt Solaufein exhale loudly. "…but only dispelled my cover. I didn't have any illusions prepared so I just used a confusing enchantment on myself, took a dark cloak and tried to make it to the gates."

"You must have been terrified to walk the city like that…" Solaufein looked impressed by what he took for courage.

"I wasn't" she said simply. She didn't feel fear anymore, and should things go wrong there was always the Slayer.

"So what do we do now?" Xan asked. From his face she could see he was already enjoying keeping this night's watch, with all of his usual enthusiasm.

"Rest, all of you" she decided. "I'll keep watch. Once you're in better shape, we'll go visit Adalon. We need to cross the gates she's guarding if we're supposed to find Irenicus on the surface."

They all were shivering now, from excitement, even Viconia, though she was able to conceal it the best. Just few more steps, a door… and they'd see the sun again. Through the eyes of imagination they already saw the vivid green of the forest, felt the fresh gust of wind… Ten more steps… Maybe nine…

Minsc grabbed the handle of ancient door leading to the last straight tunnel that was to lead them back on the surface of Faerun. He pulled the door from its hinges, putting too much strength in opening it, but he didn't earn even one word of reproof. They almost run through the passage and…

A dark sky of night unwrapped over their heads, littered with uncountable number of stars. And it was good enough.

"This is… the sky?" Solaufein asked. His new allies' awed expressions had to make up for an answer. Imoen began to cry and Jaheira took her into arms.

"Don't cry Imoen" Daria said softly, without lowering her gaze to the ground. "You won't be able to see the stars with tears in your eyes."

"You! Who are you? Identify yourselves!" A group of elves approached them unnoticed, with Daria's entire group watching the sky. They aimed their bows and spears at them, only waiting for a signal to shoot. Those weren't adventurers or a random group. It was an organized squadron.

"There are drow among them, commander! And a Moonblade wielder!" one of the younger elves noticed with surprise. Xan's presence was probably the only reason why they weren't shot on the spot.

"Put down your weapons, newcomers. You're going with us." Another of the elves addressed them, probably the commanding officer. Daria felt her anger rising. They didn't even draw their swords, they did nothing to disturb the elves! For the first time since long she could watch the sky and they were interrupting her!

"Who are you to address us like that and what is this place?" she barked, the manner she trained as a drow female sneaking into her voice. She walked just in front of a loaded bow of the commander, the tip of the arrow touching her chest.

"These are the forests of Suldanessellar, the sacred city of the wood elves and I'm general Sovalidaas." The elf didn't back off, looking at her with anger. "Either you come with me to the main commander Elhan, or you will be shot in place."

Daria felt her companions tense when her dark aura rose, forewarning of Slayer's awaking, but then she felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Solaufein, she realized turning back. All of her anger evaporated instantly.

"We'll go" she agreed.

The drow priestess made a scene in the middle of their camp, purposefully, of course. It didn't matter that it was their first night under the sky since gods knew when, that they were all exhausted and weary, or even that there was a small army of battle ready elves close enough to hear them sneeze. She just walked up to her and hit her across the face with her open palm. Daria was caught completely by surprise, she didn't even found time to react.

"Have I taught you nothing?" Viconia asked, her beautiful face lined by violent fury. "What will helping those foolish darthiir earn you? They are reliant to you in every aspect now, they can't even enter Athkatla without your help, they can't enter their own wretched city! They should be begging on their knees for your help and instead they suspect our motives at every step and deny us any information with an arrogance that would put the drow they despise so much to shame! And you agree to their terms, letting them manipulate you however they wish! Two hours of interrogation, mages verifying your every word, not being let inside the camp for protection – and you still want to help them?" Viconia hit her again, but this time Daria didn't evade deliberately, staggering backward slightly. Imoen rose to stop the dark elf priestess, but her sister gestured her to wait. It was time for her to deal with it on her own.

"We need to kill Bodhi and get inside Suldanessellar just as badly as they do, Viconia. And even if we didn't I'd still feel obliged to help my kin." She didn't back off facing her teacher's anger and the drow priestess noticed it instantly. She changed tactic.

"You think they'd help you, if you were in need?" the drow snickered.

"No, they wouldn't. I'm a Child of Bhaal, something they despise. They'd feel abhorred by my taint." Daria said the obvious truth. Solaufein flinched. He still wasn't used to her speaking so openly about her heritage, he only learned about it a day ago.

"So you finally see?" Viconia asked rhetorically. "You will never be accepted among the elves, you're an outcast, just like me. You are no 'kin'! We should keep the Rhynn Lanthorn for ourselves. Without the unnecessary commotion it would be easier for us to reach Irenicus!"

"No, Viconia." The sun elf stated flatly. Among her companions no one joined the discussion, all of them watching the argument in silence. Solaufein slipped away unwilling to interrupt matters he didn't understand, but she would look for him later.

"Don't you realize what you're saying? Has nothing from Shar's lessons taught you anything?" Viconia asked and she almost sounded desperate.

"It taught me a lot Viconia, and I thank you for your them. It taught me to depend on myself first and foremost, it taught me the strength of hate and vengeance, and the art of manipulating others to achieve my goals. But it also taught me that other's choices are irrelevant to my own. The fact that Suldanessellar elves would not help me has no connection to my decision should I help them or not. I want to help them and I will, Viconia, even though they don't trust me now and maybe never will. I want to do what I decide, not reflect other's decisions. That's what I choose for myself."

"I... saw a lot of potential in you Daria, potential to greatness. But now I see I was wrong. Go crawl with the rest of the vermin you love so much, wael." The drow marched off without anger, but with much of bitter disappointment.

"You told her, sis..." Imoen half-heartedly jested, hugging her smaller sister.

"I'm glad that... it doesn't matter." Jaheira tried to smile at her, but it would be an overstatement to say she succeeded. Daria sat back on her spot by the fireplace. She knew that when she'd go check for Viconia in the morning the drow would be long since gone.

Solaufein was sitting on his bedroll in a silent corner of a glade the elven warriors under Elhan's command made their outpost. He was looking at the clear night sky with myriads of stars like little diamonds imbued into it and moon half-way covered by the shadow of Toril. His neck must have hurt already after craning it for so long, but he did nothing to change this position. For the first time his alertness failed him and Daria managed to come close enough to sit by him before he even realized she was there.

The drow lowered his head to find the source of the movement and gaped seeing her so near. But then the serene expression returned to his face and he smiled at her, for the first time without irony hidden in the corners of his mouth.

"I always imagined that the surface had a ceiling, just like Underdark, only placed higher, too high for even the most sharp-eyed drow to perceive" he said with a smile, turning back to the sky. "Eilistraee would be the moon, dancing between the Surface and the ceiling and the stars would be gems, incrusted very far away into the firmament. But now I see I was wrong. The sky is truly infinite. Thank you for showing it to me Daria."

She didn't come here on purpose. She just felt a fleeting curiosity, guessing how close to him could she get before being noticed. But she decided to stay on purpose.

"You're welcome" she gave him a phrase often used on the surface. "Lie down."

He raised an eyebrow at her quizzically.

"Lie down" she repeated. "This way you won't need to crane your neck like that. It'll hurt, trust me."

He looked down at his bedroll suspiciously and then back at her, trying to win against his long practiced suspiciousness. Lying on the ground he'd be in no position to defend himself and in this new strange world he didn't know where the attack could come from.

Daria didn't bother with his hesitance, spreading her own cloak on the grass and stretching her limbs on it. She on the other hand felt much more comfortable here. Everything was so familiar… The smell of the forest and grass, the touch of the wind she longed for even though she didn't realize it, even though she didn't suspect she could feel such a thing as longing anymore.

"My knowledge of the surface is very limited, I only found few books of poetry. Is it a day or a night?" The drow asked her from the level of the grass. His wariness didn't appear long-lived.

"It's a night" she answered. "And don't worry, you'll learn everything quickly. Two years ago I couldn't kill a goblin and one Magic Missile was the most I could cast."

She turned her head and saw Solaufein looking at her quizzically, resting on his side.

"You jest" he stated. He saw her in a battle, and the reputation she gained on the arena reached his ears. There was no way she could learn to fight like that just in two years.

"I don't. It all happened quickly." She turned away from him, suddenly feeling tired of this conversation, all of this. Should she have her spirit she'd say she felt homesick…

"Many are things about this me  
I'd never like for you to see,  
And there are things I'd rather die  
Than ever let them catch your eye.  
But then among the lies and sins  
A true believing never links  
And any feeling will not dwell  
Where tears are none for shared pain…" the drow recited quietly, like whisper, even though they were alone in the hidden nook of the clearing.

Daria turned back and for the first time since Irenicus took her spirit she wished she could feel sad.

"I don't know where I was born…" she began some strange shaking of her voice she couldn't quite control. But she liked this lack of control. She missed it. "I think I was an orphan for as long as I remember, but Gorion, my foster father took care of me well in Candlekeep, and there was Imoen, so I never felt lonely…"

Her voice stopped shaking after a while, when she told him all of her tale, her peaceful, sheltered childhood, how she was thrown into her adventure, how she fell in love and how she became a hero, trying to grow up in the meantime. She told him why they were pursuing Irenicus and what has he done to her. She talked and watched, mimicking his emotions, hearing out his responses. And then she stopped abruptly, realizing she has nothing more to say.

The drow warrior looked at her uneasy and she waited patiently for him to say something.

"I… I don't know what I should say" he admitted honestly. "Drow never confess to each other like that, it would be too dangerous."

Daria smiled lightly, feeling weightless like a feather all of sudden. On impulse she took his hand and put it on her shoulder. It was warm and smelling with grass. Solaufein watched her questioningly, waiting for her explanation.

"It's what friends do for each other, it's about feeling close to another person, showing care, support. I… I think I need support right now. Even though I don't really feel."

Solaufein shifted and moved his second hand to place I her shoulder as well and held her like that, awkwardly, with a lot of inexperienced kindness.

She woke up in warmth, on Solaufein's bedroll, covered with her own cloak. She didn't even remember when she fell asleep, so unused to this state already. Next to her, in a comfortable distance on the wide bedroll, slept Solaufein. The drow must have tried to keep watch over her when she fell asleep, but in the end sleep claimed him as well. No wonder. He had the longest journey of his life behind him.

The sun was rising on the east, so far hidden among the green leaves of the forest. Soon drow's adamantine armor would turn to dust, as well as some of small magical items she brought from Ust Natha. Her old equipment was waiting for her in their camp.

She touched her friend's hand and whispered his name, trying to wake him gently.

A new day was rising.


	48. The Comet

„**The Comet"**

„Xan of Evereska? I'm sorry, I'm looking for Xan of Evereska!" a high voice of an elf in green robes of a battle mage brought little discord into their camp as they prepared to head back to Athkatla. The newcomer brought smell of wood and mud on their glade, trying to maneuver among half-packed tents and leftovers from today's breakfast.

"I'm here." The enchanter was finally found, coming out of one of the tents. "Who… Ricar?"

"One and the same!" A small smile appeared on tired and sweated elf's face. The mage looked as if he had a long way in the forest behind him and it didn't seem to be a relaxing trip.

"I should have expected to see you here. We are close to Suldanessellar, after all." Xan greeted his friend with his usual dour expression.

"How come you are here?" The elf asked, not even commenting the enthusiasm he was welcomed with. "I heard that a Moonblade wielder from Evereska came to our camp, but not much more. Were you sent by the council?"

"I am sure that there's no need to recount _this_ story again. Daria here has been questioned for long enough already. Suffice to say we have a mission here."

"Daria? _That_ Daria?" Ricar asked incredulous. "Are you traveling with a Bhaalspawn? Xan, what has become of you?" The temperature suddenly dropped in the camp, though Daria didn't even raise her head from over her scrolls she tried to arrange in neat order.

"I suggest you choose your words carefully, or not at all. I will not tolerate you slandering her name again." Xan himself was surprised how much Ricar's words angered him. From the moment they learned about Daria's heritage, all the elves became wary, as if they let a monster into their camp. All the suspiciousness, the interrogation, the guards accompanying their every step inside the encampment - it wasn't about the drow in their party anymore, or about the fact that they came through one of the caves leading to the Underdark. All of it was based on the fact of who her father was. It was Daria's first appearance in any settlement of the People and the only kinship she was allowed to experience was this pitiable façade of trust, caused only by of Suldanessellar's desperate need of help. And he knew from the very start it would be like that. It would always be like that.

"Back in Academy, you never used that tone." Forced smile disappeared from Ricar's face. "You changed a great deal, Xan."

"Yes, we have all changed. In any case, how come you are aware of Daria's heritage?" The commander has told him, of course. He knew better than to honor a word given to a Bhaalspawn.

"I traveled to Athkatla briefly and heard the rumors. But, considering your companion's heritage… may I ask?" Ricar turned to Daria and she raised her head with a composed face betraying no emotion. "Daria, are you the infamous… er, the Bhaalspawn who was rumored to have spent some time in Irenicus' capture a while ago?"

"Why do you ask?"

"I… commander Elhan didn't allow me to reveal anything." Daria's face stayed as frozen, no reaction on Ricar's words visible, but the wood elf felt the temperature dropping even further, now even more glares centering on him.

"We sent messengers to human lands after the attack" he tried to say at least what he was allowed to. "Queen Zaranda of Tethyr is our most probable ally, and we count on her help, despite the events that transpired around a century ago, when king Erillam of Tethyr perished on elven lands. However… Well…" The elf paused to think. "Irenicus" he accented the word hatefully. "…whilst he was still… tolerated, had stolen most important documents from the Queen's archives. We have been searching for them all the while, but our search was fruitless. I was among many scouts to search for the… for Irenicus. We found more than one abandoned laboratory, but there were no traces of the letters, journals or chronicles there. However, we never got to the place where he kept you – am I correct in my guess that it was beneath Athkatla? Since it was his last permanent abode, then the documents must be there."

"Why are you so sure Irenicus does not possess these… papers on his person? And why are those papers so important?" Xan asked to fill the silence that was Daria's answer to Ricar's tale.

"Some of there… accounts could make our potential allies turn away from us. There was nothing dishonest in our dealings, ever. However, accidents and misunderstandings happened, and if they were known widely… you understand, I hope. So it makes no sense for Irenicus to take these papers to Suldanessellar: on the contrary, he will use them, and send messengers to our allies, so his revenge is complete.

Most probably, these papers are still in his abode. We need your aid, Daria. The dungeon's entrance is blocked, as you are probably aware of. But if I and Xan unite in communion for a few seconds, and you open your mind to us but a little – Xan will make sure I will not see more than I am meant to – I will be able to build a portal that will take us there."

"I will not stand for this. Daria has been through enough already." Xan interrupted him and the elf quickly shifted his eyes from him, as if that meant he couldn't hear what the enchanter said.

"What say you, Daria?" The elf turned to the Bhaalspawn, as if she was to have the final word. A scent of strong emotion filled the air and Daria realized that Ricar wanted to check the dungeon almost frantically. For a moment she expected one of her flashes to show her a fragment of the past, the reason for this anxious search, but of course nothing happened.

"I will do this." She decided to find out the hard way. "Xan?"

He threw her a look full of worry. He saw already many of her returns to the dungeon, when she was delirious, deep in her nightmares. The screams… he would probably never forget the screams. Was she truly willing to go to the place of her torment again, only for the sake of an elf she just met? Or did he forget again, neglected how empty she was without her spirit?

"If you can do it sister, than so can I!" Imoen lifted her backpack filled with components for magic, from the ground. So far she kept silent, probably a habit she worked out in Ust Natha. Knowing her sister Daria doubted she would keep that custom alive for long.

"Yes, I will go as well." Jaheira's features gained new sharpness.

"Minsc and Boo will go too! No evil will harm Daria and Imoen, when Minsc is near!"

"I will take care of the camp" Valygar sighed.

Daria felt someone standing behind her quietly. Solaufein wasn't planning to let her go without him either.

"Well, then…" Ricar counted them quickly, preparing to cast the spell. "Form a circle. Xan, take Bha… Daria's hand and give me yours. Everyone ready?"

Warm black palm squeezed Daria's hand.

"Yes" she said.

"_Open_."

"I…"

The hooks were hanging from the ceilings, swinging slightly now, after a wave of transporting magic stirred this dead place to a moment of activity, like a corpse animated to short leap of undeath. Rats panicked, fleeting from the newcomers back to their holes, leaving the gnawed bones of those not fortunate enough to last till a chance to escape.

A cage drew Daria's stare, a small metal cage with crude bars, an old body crouched in it, a mutilated body of an elven woman… She blinked. It was just a shadow, the cage was empty. Something like smoke crawled through the bars, escaping the cage. It was indeed herself she saw inside, the part she left here, the part that couldn't escape. The part of her that has now been freed.

"Your cage, sis… Do you remember? I will never forget…" Imoen whispered, her voice low not to wake the horrors of this place.

All was as Daria saw it the last time, only older. On two wooden tables tools of tortures, covered with dried blood she left on them. The third table with cuffs on its both ends. The moist walls. The smell of long death and rotting.

It didn't scare her this time. She escaped. After a full circle, the time when she lived in constant fear, going through her torments over and over again, unable to get free, now she came here again, but without the shackles. For too long she dreaded this place and its mad master, and now she was completely burned out, but ready to move on. Someone's hand found hers and closed around it.

"Don't look." Solaufein stepped in front of her, close enough for the gruesome torture chamber to disappear from her sight completely. "Don't look at those hideous things. Look only at me."

Some gentle warmth in her chest, surprisingly resembling an emotion, woken inside her. Her hand closed around the night-black palm and she smiled again. Solaufein must have been the only person who could make her smile now. But it wasn't the place they were searching for. She turned back to Xan and his friend.

Xan was pale, white as ghost, one of many that were very likely to be trapped in the dungeon. He was shivering as a leaf when his eyes were darting all over the torture chamber, unable to find any rest, any bit of solace in this place built only to deal pain. And then he looked at Daria.

"This place… The echoes of pain… Daria…"

"It's alright, Xan." She overused this phrase so badly in the past that it almost lost its meaning. But it was alright now. She let go of Solaufein's hand for a moment to place it on Xan's shoulder, his eyes clearing a bit. "Let's go further" she proposed. "We will find no documents here."

"Further…? There's… more?" Xan's voice faltered.

Yes, there was much more, but there was no need for him, for any of them, to see it. The sun elf turned to Ricar again.

"There's a library and a bedroom, and also a room where he kept most of the treasures. Can you teleport us there?"

"Yes, of course." The elf looked at her, but with pity this time. "Just open the link."

An empty shell of a woman he loved looked at him with her hollow eyes, watching him from the moment they reappeared in the camp, the mess they left almost untouched by Valygar during their escapade. An entire day they spent inside the horrid dungeon, searching through the dusty archives, trying to find any useful information in the tomes of darkest magic and lore that should never be brought to day's light. It was dark already now, that Ricar's spell brought them back to the surface, in their hurried escape from that place's guardians. They found no documents, only dust and dark necromancy left in Irenicus' laboratory. And Daria was calm.

She must have been gone for long already, he realized, nothing but a memory of her remaining, her form, sustained by the essence of Bhaal, now just a place where she should be, filled with random elements. She was to be lost even before they met again in Athkatla, he knew now, after seeing the dungeon. No one could escape this place without losing sanity, and very few without losing their life. She was like a flower, severed from where it was growing, torn asunder to reveal her captor a way to her spirit. No matter how tended to and cared for such a flower without roots was to wilt, it was only a matter of time.

Days, weeks he spent caring for her. She looked fragile, hurt and in need. Her body was scarred and in pain, but that he couldn't heal. Her spirit was haunted and unable to rest - with that he tried to help. But it was vain from the very beginning.

He underestimated what was done to her. Even despite the scars and her fragileness, even despite he thought he couldn't imagine anything worse happening to her... It only proved how little he knew. She couldn't be sane after going through that hell. He had barely kept his senses, only standing there for few minutes. And she was tortured there... how long?

"Sixty-seven days" she told him once. She didn't elaborate and he didn't push. It was his foolish wish - to help her leave this torment behind her by listening to her and being there, whenever she needed someone. He went after an illusion, thinking that his care could change something, that two months of tortures could be erased by some foolish attachment of a doomed man. He deluded himself that when an hour of her death would come, he could delay it, even if only a little bit, even if it cost him his life. But of course his life meant less than he gave it credit for. And for her it meant nothing.

Clutching to Jaheira, to him, to Minsc... she was a wilting flower with only days to live and they gave their best to keep her alive, for as long as they could. And when Irenicus took her spirit she stopped to clutch. When Irenicus took her spirit she stopped to care.

"I love you" he told her many times on the board of Galante, looking at the sea. And he lied every single time. He was too scared to love her, he only had enough courage not to hurt her.

"Please don't look at me like that" Daria asked him now, making him finally realize he was staring at her all that time. "I'm not dead yet."

"Not yet..." he repeated. Or was she? At times she was like a human – eager to leave the few remaining days she had as intensely as she could, as if it could make up for the long life if an elf she couldn't live. Ignoring the risks, the damage she was dealing to herself, she was leaping into the fray of the battles in the arena of Ust Natha, its nets of betrayals and manipulation. She was venturing into places, where no elf should be, searched for emotion and excitement where no elf would ever find it. There were moments when she seemed desperate to feel.

And there were moments when she was not, when she was as lifeless and unresponsive as a rock. She just existed, and empty vessel until the taint of her father would take over again. He could see nothing of Daria in this empty shell.

"We will not die." Her usual answer to his doom saying, this time uttered sternly, the way a commander would say it. They weren't going to die not because she believed they wouldn't, but because they were well equipped and experienced, aware of the enemy's presence and had allies.

"We will." No allies or weapons could ward off death, no experience could stop its blade. "We will die, Daria. To assume the opposite is as futile as to expect sunrise in the middle of the night."

She looked deep into his eyes as if she was still expecting to find some hope in them.

"Amaontoth" she replied. Xan's eyes widened when he recognized the spell instantly, its ccharacteristing being this firs word, unlike any other magic. It was the spell he only heard about, read about, but never saw, didn't even consider studying. "Ganglia stellae, ganglia solea..." she continued, opening her arms wide and then joining them together. Fluent movements of her palms, her entire arms weaved with the words of the evocation.

"I-it is not possible…" he only managed to stutter seeing something brighter appearing on the evening's sky.

"Come!" she shouted and all of sudden the firmament began to lighten, from clouded obsidian to blue and then red. It was not a time for dawn!

"Come!" she cried out again, throwing her arms in the air to greet the fiery orb that appeared on the sky above their heads.

"Stop it!" Xan screamed, trying to disrupt her spell. If she brought it down here, they would be all doomed! The glade was now as lit as if the sun was indeed coming in the middle of the night. The falling comet was so close now that its roaring blaze washed over all of them, finally waking the panic, all eyes turning to the burning sky. The entire encampment stirred to run away from the place of the collision. Xan heard Imoen calling their names and he began to run, but Daria wouldn't move. He tried to pull her hand, but she was like frozen in place. In last desperate attempt, in the heat he thought was going to turn him into a crisp in a matter of moments, he threw himself to shield Daria. 'Pathetic truly' he only had time for a thought. His ragged cloak against a comet, his body against such heat...

The impact came.

The burning fire washed all around him, probably setting the small forest on fire in one swoop. He didn't look, too absorbed with his final thought.

"We are not going to die." A soft whisper sounded by his ear. The cold wind blew, and there was no trace of the blaze. Daria in his arms dropped her arm stretched up the sky. He risked opening his eyes.

The forest was like the way it was before, not even a bit of his cloak was smoldered, not one tent in their camp destroyed, unless you count the trampled equipment. Daria watched him, undisturbed despite his arms pressing her to his chest. There was a stone in her hand, an irregular metallic rock, only a bit smaller than elf's fist. A faint orange light was surrounding it. 'It should be boiling hot' he thought and yet the elven woman held it in her unprotected palm. It was the burned-out comet.

He let go of her taking a calm step back. She could evoke a comet, the fact that she was holding it now so casually was less surprising than that. She evoked a comet and then stopped it before hitting them. She controlled its fires and now held it like a stone one could find on a road.

She took his palm and opened it, and then placed the comet in it. He felt it was chilly instead of hot.

"I will not let us die." She made a promise and he felt its weight in his hand. "I've became much stronger and I know you have also. I will fight and I will get my spirit back. I promise."

'When hell freezes over.' He thought, but didn't dare to say it out loud.


	49. On the Crossroads

„**On the Crossroads"**

„Stop right there, Valygar!" she shot from the bushes where she was hiding like a pink wildfire, startling him, his hand instantly grasping the hilt of his katana.

"What?" The irritated ranger sheathed his weapon, seeing who stood before him. How could he, who spent half of his life in the woods, not realize that leaves were rarely so eye-piercingly pink? How much he could underestimate Imoen's skill in hiding?

"I know what you're up to! Explain yourself!" The pink-head pointed her finger at him accusingly.

"I'm not up to anything. I'm going to hunt something for breakfast" he grumbled, not looking at her. And now she would listen to him and let him leave without making a scene…

"You won't fool me that easily!" Of course nothing like that happened. Imoen pouted and shook her head making her look like an offended pink squirrel. She pointed his hand. "What is it that on your shoulder? A bow!"

"Yes, a _hunting_ bow." Valygar grit his teeth with impatience. He had no time for such games. Others could wake up any minute now.

"Don't try to be so smart. You're trying to leave, aren't you?" Imoen knew. Somehow she guessed. Or maybe it wasn't all that hard to grasp that everybody was trying to leave her sister's company as soon as possible.

"Yes, yes, I am" he dared her.

"Well, I don't like it!" Imoen flushed with anger.

"This mayhem doesn't concern me anymore. It was only an alliance of convenience, from the very beginning. Our goals matched and now they don't. I have already helped enough."

"And that's why you're sneaking away in the middle of the night?" Imoen made step forward and Valygar only barely stopped himself from making a step back.

"I am leaving" he stated, giving his best to sound stern. While all it took to be left alone by others was few seconds of silent glaring, Imoen never took a hint.

"Yeah, right you are. After all you just joined the team to defeat Lavoc and then suddenly… you were in Spellhold! It must have been the magic you hate so much, that forced you to come there, because certainly it couldn't be loyalty or friendship. After all it was just an alliance of convenience! And by the way, how is it with your hate towards magic? I find it very selective, because I don't see you're very eager to stop Irenicus!" Imoen was coming closer with every loud sentence and now she was only few inches from him.

"Why would you care?" Valygar made a move as if he was about to turn away and Imoen's arm shot forward, catching his forearm, keeping him in place. He glared at her again. "I'm leaving because there's nothing left for me to do. This company is about to fall apart, Viconia was only the first one to leave. With your sister devoured by the taint…"

"Daria is not devoured!" Imoen screamed. "She's just…"

"Insane? You saw what she did on the glade. She could have killed us all if she didn't control that spell, she probably wanted to. She's drunk with her power…"

"No! Empty, I was going to say empty! Just like me…"

Valygar threw her a doubting look. The two sisters were nothing alike in a first place, or so he was told, and now their behavior was in even sharper contrast. "You are doing a lot better than her."

"No, I'm not…" the rogue lowered her head. Her bright eyes disappeared behind pink mane. He hoped she wasn't going to cry, This was enough of a scene already. "I was exactly like her. Emotionless for the first days, barely able to think. Then the taint resurfaced… I think it's the only thing that keeps us alive without our souls – Bhaal's blood. We would both die in few days, if we remained in this indifferent state. I was lucky… I only felt some anger and confusion. Sis got the Slayer…"

"But isn't it because you control your taint better?"

Imoen shuddered at the thought.

"No, I don't think I could ever control something like that. Isn't it obvious? Daria's portion of taint is bigger, or it's more focused in her. I don't know how it works… And I was lucky twice. My sister and friends came to save me, even as crazy as I was sis didn't abandon me. When she changed… you all just turned away from her…" A tear gleamed on her cheek. Valygar glanced around, looking for any help, but there were none. The girl was beginning to sob louder and louder and he didn't know what to do. He tried to pat her shoulder when she didn't stop crying, but it didn't help either.

"Don't cry" he risked saying. If he'd only notice her sooner, he could have sneaked past and be already far away from here. If he'd only look around right then…

"But it's all unfair!" Imoen burst with sobbing fury. "Daria needs help, she needs support, only she's too stubborn to ask! It's not her fault that she was done that, it's not her fault her soul was taken and…" Valygar tried to stroke her hair to keep her from crying, the last method his mother used when he was crying as a child. Before she forgot about him completely, too absorbed by her studies… Imoen's hair was nice, smooth, even pretty for someone completely color-blind.

"You won't leave, will you?" The mage-girl hugged him to his surprise, but he couldn't step back without walking into the bushes now. He decided to wait until she stops crying.

"Why are all mages so selfish?" he asked rhetorically. But no, he wasn't planning leaving anytime soon anymore. It would be terrible if she tried to chase him and he didn't want to find out where he lived. It would be a disaster. A better plan was to wait for some sort of distraction.

"And why are all rangers such pig-heads?" Imoen retorted, sniffing loudly.

"Immy?" Daria's voice interrupted their talk. "Are you there?" The elven woman found them in the forest, just in time to see the pair in what seemed an easy-to-deduce situation.

"I, er… I'll come back later." The elf immediately closed her eyes and turned on her heel to disappear back in the forest, without giving her sister a second she needed to make up a convincing story.

"So, honey, are you going to release me, or are you ready to take it further?" Imoen asked with sarcasm and Valygar jumped away from her immediately, realizing he should have much sooner. Imoen, sobbing just few moments ago was now grinning widely at him holding something bright in her hand. A tracking spell. He should have known. He was tracked by mages before.

"Well, now you can't leave, even if you want to!" the pink-head grinned, even despite her face still wet, sweeping the tears away with her sleeve.

"And why is that?" he asked rhetorically with a sigh. This evening just kept getting better.

"Because no matter how far you go and where you hide, my sister will find you, and murder you in possibly long and gruesome way for 'ditching me'. And believe me, Irenicus had shown us many tricks to do just that."

The broody ranger rubbed his brow, and picked up the bow he dropped.

"I'll stay" he muttered, strangely not that irritated.

"I… didn't tell you everything, last time, when I told you about the documents." Ricar began, when he came back to their camp after reporting their lack of findings to Elhan.

"Yes, I figured as much" Xan kindly pointed out.

"T-there's more to the story… I… I used to go on patrol with my men, guarding the tunnels not far from the city of Ust Natha." He bit his lip considering how much harm he could do retelling this story. He let his guard down a bit, speaking slowly at first, but then forgetting the cautious attitude. "We killed many, and several of our number fell to the dark ones – the hatred was mutual. Not long ago, however, we encountered an unusual group. They looked humble, frightened, and they prayed to Eilistraee – a trait unheard of any 'real drow'. I questioned them extensively, but I was unable to detect any evil in them. Their leader, Hunrae…"

"Did I hear the name correctly?" Xan raised his head sharply.

"Yes, of course. Hunrae. Have you met her in the Underdark?" Ricar seemed startled by the sudden interrupt.

"I have, but I would… rather not speak of it. Suffice to say that yes… she was most definitely evil."

"I'm sorry Xan, but I simply cannot believe you. Although considering the recent events… but no. No. Hunrae explained they were Eilistraee's followers, hunted and prosecuted by the other drow. She begged me to let her and her brethren leave, she begged me on her knees… She was so beautiful."

The enchanter sighed deeply.

"Ricar, Ricar… Did you believe her?"

"I did" the elf admitted with shame. "I let them go, and even shared what provisions we had with her group. She promised to meet me again in a day, not far from the camp, but she never did… I thought her dead or wounded, and searched for her, but to no avail. Elhan did not believe me either. Now I see why. He though me a green youth, unable to tell a friend from a foe – and he was right. Ironic isn't it? Considering I am well past two hundred and fifty summers already."

Xan sighed again.

"I make worse mistakes, and I am older." Daria flinched only barely when he said that. "Age does not mean as much as the younger ones think, Ricar. But what are we to do now? Where can these drow be?"

"I don't know… They probably delivered the documents already, but Elhan would want justice to be executed anyway…" Ricar looked down, trying to keep his composure in the face of a fact that Hunrae could have betrayed the given trust.

"I… can try a divination" words slipped from Daria's mouth unexpectedly. "I used to be a diviner."

"You could?" the green-robed mage looked at her with hope bordering on the desperation.

"I can only try" she tried not to sound over-confident. It was certain she was to fail, she didn't even know why she offered it. "Just give me some time to prepare."

There was no Love… She couldn't divine without Love.

She looked everywhere, rummaging around each end every of her bags and pouches meticulously, but the rune was nowhere to be found. From the set Xan gave her, one was missing, and considering Ricar's feelings toward the drow woman it was unlikely that Daria could successfully find out anything without this particular stone. How could she misplace it? Since the time when she lost her divining skills, after Irenicus took her spirit, she didn't even draw the set of runs from her pack. If one was lost, than it most likely happened back in Spellhold…

"Is everything alright?" Solaufein looked around the battlefield she created while searching through all her possessions.

"I lost one of my runes, the Love… I don't think I can divine without it" she explained. Solaufein looked through the mess. He knew better than to suggest to look through them again. Instead he asked.

"So then, should I make a new one?"

"You can't just make a rune!" she looked at him as if he was crazy. "These are special enchanted stones, containing the piece of element they symbolize. It's not possible just to write a letter on a random stone."

"Well then, how do you enchant one?"

"You need a proper spell and symbol of emotion, feelings…" That actually could be a good idea. There was only one but. "I can't create anything right now, I don't have any emotions anymore."

"Your hand was shaking when you said that." The drow took her palm in his and she notices that indeed it was trembling slightly. Was she cold? She wasn't… "Don't say you have no feelings. If you're trying to conceal or control your emotions there are better ways than denying them."

"But I don't have emotions. Not without my spirit…"

"The why did you spare me, then, in Ust Natha?"

"I thought it was a good idea at the time." That was an easy question. She remembered well what she was thinking then. "You could become a useful ally, and…"

"You lie" he stopped her explanation and touched her face. She looked at him slightly startled. Since when did she start avoiding his eyes? She couldn't catch a specific moment. "It was kindness that made you save me, and kindness only. I could be only a burden in Ust Natha, a danger to your mission, and you risked your life trusting me. Don't try to tell me that it was dictated by logic."

"I… I don't think you're right. But… I will try to make a new rune. Will you help me?"

"Of course. What do you need?"

"I think I have the components for basing enchantments… It won't hold forever, but should be long enough for a divination" she picked some seemingly random pieces from the pile she made throwing poaches on her belt upside down. Then she dug out her spellbook and searched through its pages. "I have a spell that may be good, but it's a difficult one and it comes in two parts. Will you?" Daria scribed runes on a piece of paper she tore from her spellbook.

The drow's red eyes scanned through the words, but returned to her face shortly.

"Whenever you're ready" he smiled.

"…the one loved, along the flow of clear water, a hill with a place of final rest, a dead place on its peak, in a circle. One pace of steps towards the sun set from there, they have a point where paths meet" she read the runes. There was no light when she threw them up, no magic when she recited the invocation, but according to the map what she read made sense. Ricar was leaning over the pattern set by the stones, one of them different from the others, a dark pebble she picked from the ground.

"Are you sure?" the elf asked. She was torn between saying 'no' and 'yes', when honesty fought with professionalism.

"The river is not far from the path that would lead us back to Athkatla, we can verify it without further delay" Xan spoke out before she decided what to say.

"But if Hunrae is indeed innocent…" Ricar still hoped.

"Then no harm will come to her from our side" Xan promised, knowing just how futile his friend's hopes were.

"That look on your face… You miss Phaere, don't you?" Daria kept watching Solaufein during their march through the forest. She couldn't walk alongside anyone else… There was Imoen previously, but now she probably preferred to walk with Valygar. Hopefully she wasn't angry that the sun elf disturbed them at the glade. For how long that was going? Daria hoped Imoen knew what she was doing. The thief wouldn't get any useful advice from her older sister… If only she had chosen someone else… Valygar had an important part in a plan forming in her head and if Imoen got attached to the ranger too much it could possibly end very badly.

"I do" the drow admitted slowly.

"I thought I felt it when we cast the spell together. You love her still…"

"I apologize. It's not easy to forget." Daria noticed he increased the pace, but rather involuntarily. He wasn't looking at her.

"If you love her than you shouldn't forget her, you shouldn't even try" She didn't let him walk away. "I wouldn't want to be forgotten like that by someone who loved me."

"I understand, but I owe you so much, you risked your life and the lives of your friends by trusting me, you even relied on me enough to sleep in my presence" he stopped at last to look straight at her. She returned his gaze, looking deeply into his red eyes, trying to read their mysteries. "Those are not things that are natural for the drow. I want to repay you for this confidence you have in me, but thoughts of Phaere won't leave me. A drow should never betray his sentiments like that." Solaufein resumed their journey, once again focusing on the road ahead.

"Tell me about her, the way you knew her" she followed him.

Solaufein threw her a weird look, and then sighed heavily.

"I am still a dark elf to my very core, after all. Right now I just thought that you're trying to extort house Despana secrets from me, though it makes completely no sense." Daria didn't feel even a bit offended, she moved closer to Solaufein and with brief hesitation took his hand in hers. He looked at her surprised for a moment, but then smiled. "Phaere… Phaere I knew was never giving up, never gave up on us. We both knew that what we felt to each other was more than was allowed among the drow, it was more than any relationship to be expected from the first daughter of a matron and her lover. But we trusted each other, like we wouldn't anyone else. Outside I could go along with the dark charade life in Ust Natha was forever, as long as I could find a moment of respite with her. When we were together… all was not that bad when we were together.

When she… changed, I couldn't find this moment of solace anywhere else. She was advancing in the hierarchy of Lloth, became a High Priestess, and I was watching her, trying to find something from my love that remained in her. And then one day I realized that there was nothing.

I might have given up then. I blended with the crowd, became just as ruthless as any warrior in the Society, and also gained approval of the clergy. Even Eilistraee didn't make me see hope anymore, I was even beginning to think that her teachings might have been just naïve idealisms… And when I was about to resign completely, you came, like a messenger from my goddess." Solaufein looked into her eyes deeply and smiled with gratitude, but his expression turned back to sorrow in moment.

"But you are right when you say I miss Phaere. I wish I could show her the surface… I wonder if it would change her heart."

"I'm sorry I didn't save her."

"She brought it down on herself, and it's not your fault. Thank you for hearing me out. Your heart is also broken…" he paused on an unused phrase. Only in the Common he knew not as well as the drow language, there was a word for what they were both feeling.

"I understand…" Daria's hand found his, and they continued on the forest path, walking arm in arm.


	50. Monster's Heart

„**Monster's Heart"**

„I am sorry, Ricar. Hunrae is dead." They took a longer way returning to the elven camp, just to bring the news to him. Daria's predictions were true. Hunrae was where the divination showed. The diviner herself wasn't sure what it meant.

"So she was guilty… then. She used me…" Not surprisingly Ricar was crushed by the grim message they delivered. Not only the one he fell in love was dead, but she was also a traitor and he – her accomplice, that helped to sever one of the last alliances the elven city had.

"She was killed by a monster" Daria said and none from the elven sages detected lie in her words. Ricar raised her eyes back at her, almost unable to believe that he was wrong, that the drow woman was indeed who he claimed. And that she died, even though he was wrong.

"The documents, did she have them?"

"No, there was no trace of the papers." The result was the same. The documents were long since gone, the drow messengers were dead and there was nothing more to be done. And yet it was so much different with those few words.

"Thank you for your help." Ricar exhaled loudly. There were tears gathering in his eyes, but he would hold them back in a moment and perhaps his heart wouldn't hurt that much on few days from now.

"You need to hurry" Elhan sent them off. "You need to find Bodhi and Rhynn Lanthorn before it is too late."

"You shouldn't have lied to him" Xan caught her after few steps she made, determined to walk away. "You forced him to live in an illusion. It's not fair to him."

"There are worse things than living in an illusion" she cut him off sharply.

"What can be worse than living in a false pretense of being loved?" he asked with cold determination on his face.

"Living without this pretense, I thought you knew." She passed him and resumed her march. She wasn't stopped again.

Athkatla was crowded as always, the temple district more than ever. It was hard to get there through the currents of people streaming in every direction. Dark times must have come for the city if Bodhi returned to her crypts. Daria decided that they were to look for allies before heading to the graveyard. They already almost lost Jaheira when going there for the first time. The elf wasn't planning on going without preparations, no matter how much in danger the elven city was.

The headquarters of the Most Holy Order of the Radiant Heart was their first objective, the place where they turned after crossing the gates of the ever-busy main gates. Imoen was curious about everything, her first experiences in Athkatla being rather chaotic and quickly interrupted by the appearance of the Cowled Wizards. This time she kept her hands clenched in her pockets, even a thought of casting any spell making her grit her teeth. Nothing could quench the curiosity gleaming in her eyes though.

Daria was watching her sister carefully as well. She wasn't going to let her be taken anywhere again, not even if this time she would be the one to blow up the other half of the Promenade.

"Yes, aiding you in annihilating the coven of vampires feasting on innocent citizens of Athkatla is a task worthy of an Order's knight" the prelate of the athkatlan headquarters of the order agreed, after hearing them out. "A group of knights under the command of sir Anomen will come to your aid."

"Thank you." Daria lowered her head respectfully before the prelate. Imoen's ears seemed to perk up when she heard the knight's name, the same as the squire's Xan told her about. On the contrary, grim silence fell among the rest of the group.

"If it's not a problem I'd like to exchange few words with sir Anomen and discuss the battle tactics" Daria continued, oblivious how attentively her sister was going to listen to this conversation.

"Of course. Squire Melvin will show you the way to his headquarters. May Helm watch your path."

"And yours."

"Daria!" Anomen jumped from his seat the moment the party began to crowd into his room. He skipped the 'Lady' part, she was content to hear that. It meant that they remained good friends, not just passing allies.

"_Sir_ Anomen." She tried to smile emphasizing the title, but her facial muscles just couldn't synchronize properly.

"You look so good!" The freshly knighted was shining with joy at the visit, seemingly oblivious to the grim atmosphere in the group. "Have you found your sister? You just disappeared few days after contacting the thieves, no one in the city has seen you after that and the Sphere was always closed."

"What sphere?" Imoen asked unable to contain her curiosity any longer.

"Allow me to introduce to you – Imoen of Candlekeep, known also as Librarian's Bane." Daria took her sister's hand and curtsied with all the flair and seriousness, as she should in a proper introduction to a knight.

"Lady Imoen, it is an honor…" Anomen got immediately caught into the game, he made a gesture as if he was to kiss the thieves hand, but she jumped away giggling. The knight cleared his throat to hide embarrassment, but the blush was bright on his face. "How come you two are related? Lady Imoen is clearly a human and you… ah." The knight quietly solved the heritage mystery. He asked nothing more.

"We came to the order to ask for help against Bodhi, a vampiress residing in the lower crypts beneath athkatlan graveyard." Daria quickly explained the situation inside the elven city.

"And the prelate assigned you to help us." Jaheira finished coldly.

"It's no coincidence, lady Jaheira" Anomen smiled warmly at the druidess, all too familiar with her icy attitude she always treated him with. "The prelate is aware of my accomplishments under Daria's command. I'll tell my men to prepare for battle." Anomen's chest puffed up a bit when he mentioned he had subordinates. "But before we discuss the plans, Daria, there's something very important to me I would like to talk to you about."

"Of course." She made a step forward, closer to him, not even turning back to ask her companion's for a moment of privacy.

It was time for her to take responsibility for her actions.

Anomen led her to the second room, pointing her to a comfortable armchair. He moved a chair so he could sit in front of her and waited for her to make herself comfortable.

"Two weeks ago Judge Brianna found evidence of Saerk Farrahd's involvement I the murder of my sister Moira" the priest began, weaving his hands before him, as if he was trying to stop himself from nervous gesturing. "The evidence is sound. Saerk was the one to hire the murderer who struck my home with the intention to kill my sister. When the news reached my father's ears he went to avenge Moira. He was killed by the house guards of the Farrahd estate."

"I'm sorry" Daria said stiffly. She was not surprised.

"Saerk was guilty of murdering my sister. Did you know that?" Anomen asked not for a moment taking his eyes off her. This time he wasn't furious or lost, there was no fresh grief he was possessed with when learning about Moira's death. The newly knighted priest was by all means controlled and patiently expected for Daria to answer his questions.

"Yes" she simply said.

"That's what I thought. You were far too skilled to make a mistake like that and if you weren't certain you would say so. The only thing I couldn't guess was why you didn't tell me the truth. Family honor is an important matter to me, but just as importantly I didn't think you wanted a killer to walk free the streets, comfortable in his blood-stained wealth. The first thought I had was that it was a punishment because I cost you pain, making you divine without preparation, then in my father's estate. But you are not a woman of malice, Daria. It wasn't the reason, was it?"

"It wasn't." Because she wasn't a woman of malice… then.

"Then I thought you wanted to protect me, that you were afraid that I'd be hurt if I go to my enemy's home, but that made no sense also. I am not a devastated drunk like my father, I know well how to handle a weapon, and you would be there also to aid me, along with your companions. I was beginning to feel furious by then, I even considered that you betrayed me. My hands were aching to get revenge, to hold a weapon to seal Saerk's doom, sent him to hell, where he deserved to be. That was when I though I realized why you lied to me.

They say it's the worst kind of pride to decide other's fate for them. It's like trying to take the place of gods, Daria. Because of your actions my father died and my sister's killer lives. Now tell me, why did you lie?" Anomen could be terrifying now, his voice raised from the fury that lied dormant for a long time, his fists clenched and white.

"I don't know. Back then I only didn't want you to have innocent's blood on your hands. I didn't want you to follow your anger." Her excuse sounded so very weak, even spoken calmly.

"So I thought right" the knight stood up and turned away from her to look outside the window. "It was because of that anger that was eating me from the inside. I have been thinking a lot about this gift of yours, seeing the future. I used to think that those divinations aren't as terrifying as inborn gift of fire magic or necromancy, wreaking destruction on the enemies or animating the dead, that it was just a school of handy spells, very useful, of course, but not as terrible. But the choices you must be faced with… I don't know what would I do in your place, how would I know which choice is right. But in the end, I don't think you know it either. No fire mage or necromancer carries such a burden. I do not envy you… my friend."

Daria sent him a weak smile.

"There's nothing to envy."

"I really don't think it is appropriate…"

"Shh… I can't hear what they're talking about with your constant complaining, Xan! They've been there for fifteen minutes already. All I caught so far was something about seeing the future..."

"_He_ did WHAT?" Anomen's raised voice made the pink head jump and drop the glass she was holding by the wall. She quickly stepped away from the door, by a hair's breadth avoiding being hit when the knight rushed out of the room.

"We still have a chance to stop Irenicus…" Jaheira begin to calm the infuriated cleric, but he ignored her, heading towards Xan.

"How could you do that to her?" Anomen shouted in his face, enchanter's palms instinctively forming gestures of the Stoneskin spell. "I am asking you, how could you abandon her so easily, even though she loves you, in a moment like that? Even most basic decency requires that…"

"Anomen stop" Daria ordered with inhuman growl. The knight turned to her sharply, just in time to see a fleeting gold speck of light in her irises. "This is a resolved matter and I do not wish for you to dwell on it any further. This is not the reason why I told you what the current situation is."

"Is everything alright? I sensed an evil presence." A knight, caught in the middle of taking off his full plate armor, rushed into the room with his sword drawn. He looked around as if expecting gates to hell opening in the crowded room.

"Everything is fine now" Not without a struggle, Daria pushed whatever was squirming below the surface back to the dark pit it crawled out from. "Anomen, come to the Sphere tomorrow, once you prepare your team. We are going to enlist some more help. Until we meet again."

"Take care, my friend." The knight replied with unconcealed worry.

They came in one moment, synchronized in years of training, assassins surrounded them in a split second, inside a dark passage between two estates with enough shadow to hide their presence until they were ready to strike. Daria's companions didn't even have the time to draw their weapons. They were walking undisturbed towards the docks in one moment and in the next they had knives pressed to their backs. They should become suspicious when they saw the alley was completely empty. They didn't.

"You will come with us to the Shadowmaster" the black-clad woman who appeared behind Daria whispered to her ear. She alone wasn't holding a weapon, but that could change fast.

"That's what I intend to do" the diviner replied with a slight trace of irritation. "Now step away. You are making me nervous."

"You are not the one to give orders here, girl." Daria knew daggers were pressed to her companion's backs, just in a spot where they could do the most harm.

"I can make you nervous too" she threatened calmly, not moving an inch.

"I don't think so." The assassin drew her dagger, only the quietest sound of a blade leaving the scabbard made purposefully to frighten the elf. How very subtle…

The aura of the Slayer, the sickening feeling of fear Daria released from her control, strangled the little passage in its grasp, the killing intent contained within paralyzing the group of trained murderers. Being assassins they could have worshipped Bhaal, were he alive, but compared to the Slayer they were just children playing with dangerous toys.

Daria's party broke away from their attackers, drawing their weapons and standing in a circle to cover each other's backs. They were all too used to the sinister presence already for it to have such a strong effect on them. Only one person didn't stand with the group.

"Don't come near her now!" Jaheira hissed at Solaufein, who dashed to their leader's side. "She's going to change!"

The drow only glanced at her, his face grim, but didn't hesitate. He grabbed Daria's arm to pull her away from the attacker…

"It's alright" the woman didn't appear disturbed at all by the aura she was radiating. "They aren't going to cause us any more trouble. Am I right?"

The leader of the assassins gulped and nodded fervently. She was a veteran, one of the oldest active thieves under Linvail's command. She faced, undead in raids on Bodhi's subordinates, necromancers brought by the Cowled and all that could crawl from athkatlan's sewers. She thought she saw everything. The Bhaalspawn proved her wrong.

"Now _please_ send your men away and lead us to Aran Linvail."

The assassin nodded again. How could the Shadowmaster describe this woman as harmless she couldn't guess.

Aran's eyebrow rose in quickly hidden surprise when Daria of Candlekeep, a gifted diviner he had great plans for entered his underground abode, but without the armed escort he sent after her. It was strange… He made specific instructions as to how the Bhaalspawn was to be handled. Playing his role as a friend, but one that she wouldn't want to turn into an enemy, was an old game his assassins knew well. It was a base of many successful businesses.

"Daria." He rose from his couch to greet her. "I was wondering when you would show up. I was beginning to doubt you will at all."

"I had some doubts myself given the fact that your captain betrayed me" the young elf didn't appear as distressed as she should be by being brought to the underground hideout so suddenly, but facts were, she was a diviner. Manipulating her required more advanced resources than an usual venture.

"Saemon Havarian betrayed? It doesn't surprise me. Don't look at me like that" Aran smiled fugitively when Daria's glare sharpened. "He was not one of my men. But finding someone who would sail to Brynnlaw in such short time was not an easy task. There was no other choice but to risk, I am sure you understand. I can send my men after him, if this is what you wish."

"His ship sunk and he is most likely dead. This is enough for me" she was a bit irritated now, but still careful for his every word. Too much in control. It would be better to strip away this pretense.

"If this is your wish" he left the pleasantries at that. "But hearing how you fare is not the reason why I called you here today, though of course it is important. As you probably already know, Bodhi made reappearance in Athkatla, reclaiming her hideout. She was Irenicus' ally from the beginning and I was hoping you would show up as well, coming after her. Of course alone you won't stand a chance…"

"Arrangements have already been made" Daria interrupted the prolonging speech. The Shadowmaster loved the sound of his voice too much. "The attack is planned two days from now, at dawn. We will be aided by the knights of the local order, also, I have recruited some adventurers while on my way to Athkatla. Drizzt Do'Urden, I'm sure you heard about some of his adventures. I will need your thieves as well. There are likely to be many traps in the vampire's lair."

"Of course." False smile on Linvail's lips betrayed his irritation with her independent commanding manner. Compared to drow he was transparent as glass and Daria made a drow city dance to her whims. Linvail just tried to sound more powerful than he was. "However, I hope you realize that there's no need for you to risk yourself in the direct combat. I'll be more than happy to provide you with a safe hideout by my side, where you can make plans and divine without any danger. No vampires will reach you here."

"Aran, the only need I feel, is to wretch Bodhi's heart from her chest, stuff it up her throat and watch her gurgle." Dangerous gold glow danced in Daria's eyes. The vision was pleasing, though it was doubtful that on the battlefield she would find time to fulfill it. It could help Linvail understand her better though. "As to my divinations – after what Irenicus did to me I can no longer divine. He annihilated my soul, almost all of it." Truth mixed with lies for her purpose. "That's why I insist on haste. I'd be very disappointed if I died before having an opportunity to return the favor."

"I am truly sorry for you" Bitter disappointment was impossible to hide behind false sympathy. The arrogant fool had more plans for her. "I wish I could help, but we do not have such things for sale."

The black wooden table separating the Shadowmaster from the Bhaalspawn cracked in half when Slayer's fury broke from control for a split second and her hand closed on the edge of the unfortunate furniture. Her spirit was not a thing! How dared he suggest that?

"I'm sorry, a side effect" Daria sighed apologetically taking a deep breath, while two halves of once magical table crushed on the ground. "One more reason for me to go on the front lines. Soulless Bhaalspawn have it hard. I need to work out some fury."

"I… see" the Shadowmaster once again recalled that the escort he sent to threaten the diviner didn't come back with her. This time he couldn't simply ignore this thought. "I will send a messenger to your Sphere once my thieves finish with the preparations." He suddenly became very eager to get rid of the spawn of a God of Murder as fast as possible. One did not last on his position for long without a strong survival instinct.

"Farewell then, Shadowmaster" the sun elf rose from her chair. "We will most likely never meet again."

Even if it wasn't a divination, it calmed him.

"Where is it? Where is it?" Imoen fidgeted only few steps from her destination. She couldn't wait to finally see it!

"Head up, sis." Daria gave her a tip. She just wanted to get inside, without the stupid games of impressing others with the magnitude of the plane-traveling device that came into her possession. For her it was a home, sweet home. She needed to enter, to throw her pack into the corner of a room she made her bedroom, throw herself on the bed without taking off the shoes, sleep and wake up when she wanted, take a bath maybe…

"Wow…" Imoen sighed, finally realizing that the giant grey mass was the home her sister kept mentioning all this time. Solaufein looked equally impressed, but Daria didn't pay any more attention to their awes. Something else drew her eyes, a familiar shape, with unique colors, one she couldn't mistake with anything else.

She run up to him and kneeled on the dirt-covered road of the slums. For so long they were separate, the link between them broken after her mind was damaged and her spirit has been taken. But they were together now, and she wasn't going to let go of him ever again.

"Gooseberry…" she whispered, taking the rat into her arms.


	51. The Rain Again

„**The Rain Again"**

The day was cloudy, dark and gloomy, the chilly wind whispering of upcoming storm was impossible to ignore. The cold was penetrating any layer of clothing, just as the depression tried with any shied of optimism. The worst possible weather for vampire hunting, at least for the hunters, but Daria and her companions couldn't afford to wait for better conditions, with elven city waiting for rescue. They have already lingered enough, spending two days to gather allies, buy new equipment and rest. The atmosphere didn't serve them, but after Underdark having sky over their heads was in itself a comfort.

It looked as if it was about to rain in just a minute, when the party gathered by the graveyard district gates at last, the elven diviner walking beside Anomen, a proud knight in full armor with a shiny symbol of his god and the order he was accepted to, adorning his chest. Six other knights, most of them more experienced than the swollen with pride priest of Helm, were following his lead, each with his armor polished like the holiest altar. This must have been the preparations Anomen mentioned, that took them two days. The thieves assigned by Aran Linvail to join the group were far from showing their presence so blatantly. Trap masters and assassins hid in the shadow of the marching group.

The last members of the risky venture into the vampiress' lair were already waiting for Daria's party. The famous Mielikki's ranger Drizzt and his comrades from the Mithral Hall were there not much more than by accident, or brought there by destiny, as a true adventurer, or a true fool, would say. The road they were walking crossed with Daria's when she was leading her distrustful companions to Athkatla, losing her way on the old roads of southern Amn. As suicidal as every experienced adventurer, they immediately agreed to join the attack on the coven of powerful vampiress.

Rainy, but it was the right time. Time for Imoen to regain her soul.

"Keep together inside…" the sun elf only managed to start instructing her allies gathered before the gates to the cemetery, when an unforeseen attack came. Daria was blind, completely useless as a diviner, her two eyes strongly limiting her view. How could she know that the vampires would wait for them on the surface of the sunless day?

The attack was vicious, but uncoordinated. A shadow dropped from the roof of a crypt just into a middle of their group. Only a second after more vampires leapt from their hideouts, one by one, lured by the sounds of their kin fighting, and zombies began to crawl from the muddy ground of the graveyard answering a call unheard by the living. In not much more than a moment the group was swarmed by the avalanche of rotting limbs and flesh, when the entire place stood up on its dead legs to face the invaders. The sheer number of the dead seemed improbable. How deep the crypts could be to spawn so many?

Daria raised her hands to the sky…

"Not magic!" Imoen threw herself at her sister, bringing her down to the ground in the process. "No magic in city limits!" The pink-head shrieked with panic, more afraid of the Cowled than the zombies that were now beginning to surround the pair on the ground. Daria covered Imoen with herself praying for her enchanted cloak to be enough to shield them both until someone noticed in the fray that they were in trouble. She didn't want to become the Slayer again, not with so many paladins around, not with Solaufein seeing it…

"In Helm's name, begone foul creatures!" Anomen shouted over their heads and as one rotting corpse the zombies shunned from them, some of the closer ones falling, the dark glow of magic that spawned them to the second life extinguishing quickly. "In Helm's name!" The priest turned his holy symbol to the other group of undead, making the weaker undead falter and die, no longer hiding vampires who used them as a cover to attack from surprise. "In Helm's name!" the Order's knights called in one voice charging at the blood-suckers, giving Daria enough time to gather to her feet and drag her sister to a safer spot. The sun elf almost forced a bow into Imoen's hands and pointed one of the undead. Pale thief nodded and began to shoot.

Many, there were still many, but now that Daria could watch from a safer place she realized most of the charging undead were just meat… slow, weak, and unable to do any serious damage by themselves. There were only six… seven vampires to lead the mass of thoughtless zombies. And she could see them all.

No magic. But that didn't mean no magic items, another loop-hole in Cowled Wizard's restrictions a clever mage could use. Daria drew a wand of fire by her belt and set it properly, to the lowest possible level. Seven precise streams of fire missed the vampires only barely, instead stopping over their heads signaling clearly where the main danger was. Minsc, Jaheira and Valygar, so far tenaciously hacking the bloated mass of corpses storming the gates of graveyard, almost immediately moved to the closest enemy, the next becoming a target of fire arrows the Shadow Thieves weren't saving on when preparing the assault. The knights were going well enough even without any help, somehow sensing all evil around them, and Drizzt's companions weren't that far behind. 'Xan!' Daria thought quickly, seeing the enchanter wasn't anywhere near, but then she noticed the purple clad elf making use of his own wand of fire, much more destructively than her, standing safely behind the wall of paladins. Only one person was missing.

"Solaufein!" she called through the noise of the battle and the groans of the dead. There was no answer. "Solaufein!" she called again and once again no one answered her. All around them people were fighting, the noise was impossible, the stench even worse. She strained her eyes as much she could, trying to sharpen her sight somehow, even without the divination magic, but she couldn't see him anywhere, he just wasn't anywhere.

Bodhi. Daria caught the sight of vampiress' smile on the other side of the battlefield and her eyes immediately darted to the spot. She was there, Irenicus' ally and his sister, watching the raging battle from the entrance to the lower crypts, smiling seeing her children die before her. And beside her someone was struggling to get free from another undead's hold. Daria couldn't see the face from this distance, but she could see the night-black skin of man's hand. A drow. Not Drizzt, he was fighting among his comrades. Solaufein was being dragged underground be the undead and Bodhi was already smiling, quietly contemplating his grim fate.

For a moment Daria's and Bodhi's eyes met and the sun elf felt an empty cry in her chest. There was no way for her to hear what the vampiress was saying so far away, even without the noises of the battle, but somehow through the movement of her lips she knew what the undead mistress was saying, when looking at the one who owned the soul her brother was using.

"I'll give him back soon, do not worry. I promise" Bodhi told her.

The stone door leading to the crypts closed with cold finality.

Her hands didn't tremble. She wouldn't allow it, she needed them stable to cast. Incantations she learned in the city of drow, from the scrolls she bought in Adventurer's Mart and those she only now was beginning to understand, would obediently crush all the vampires as long as she was controlled enough to be able to cast them. Now Daria was walking on the lead of her group scrupulously relieving Athkatla from undead infestation.

Another chamber protected by the heavy doors opened before when Imoen finished with the lock and hastily withdrew behind the line of the melee fighters. Daria sent forth a silver globe of her Light spell and marched in bluntly, not even sparing a glance at people standing behind her, not a habit of any kind of mage who wanted to keep breathing. Some vampires, five or six turned their heads at her, their faces red from the blood they were drinking directly from the pond in the corner of the grave chamber, primitive like animals by a waterhole. Solaufein wasn't there.

A dragon's head materialized just under the ceiling as she kneaded the air like a mass that needed to be shaped to sprout magic of the Weave. The fastest of vampires managed to make a step in her direction before the head spewed fire on its flammable body, leaving nothing more but ash. Daria stepped on the molten stone of the chamber not caring to stop and admire her handwork. The blast ruffled her robes and few locks escaped the tight bun on her head, but even the habit of correcting her hair all the time got lost in the icy concentration state her mind was frozen in. Impatiently she stared at the rest of her party waiting for the passage to cool a little after such fury wrought upon it. The only reason why Daria didn't leave them behind already to go and look for Solaufein on her own was because he could be in need of healing, of… resurrection. And what little of healing magic she possessed, after her spirit was taken, she wasn't capable of…

She was a diviner, not a healer. Even without her spells – the habits, specific way of thinking, considering the causes and reasons, and the memory, all she needed was there. She could save him. She would save him.

Daria clenched her fists. Her hands didn't tremble.

The last chamber of the lower crypts, the last place they cleared from undead when working for the thieves a while back. It was in a shape of hexagon with a pond of a sort, placed in its exact middle. During their last visit there were only few stains of dried blood on its bottom. Daria was certain that today there would be much more than that.

She pushed the stone door, putting her strength into it and entered like only an adventurer completely devoid of imagination and surviving instincts would, stepping straight into the last standing point of her enemy. The chamber was full of vampires and smell of blood, but neither put her off. Quickly she scanned the surroundings with her infravision, but there were no sources of heat, even the blood in the horrendous pond was already cold. Solaufein wasn't there.

There were two more rooms, adjacent to this one. He had to be there. But to get there all the vampires here had to die.

None of the monsters attacked her, not even when she fried the first one with a flame arrow. The cold crowd of pale flesh parted to make way for Bodhi, walking casually as if she was just making a stroll in the park, her minions kissing the ground before her feet. Daria heard her own min… allies step into the chamber behind her, forming a wall behind her back.

"We meet again, Daria."

"The fourth time. We must end it here or people might start saying we're friends" Daria answered charmingly, thinking of ripping Bodhi's throat.

"How shrewd. Why would you care of what meat is saying? We do have many things in common after all. Thirst for their blood, be it one."

"Cut the small talk, Bodhi. I am here for Rhynn Lanthorn, Solaufein and Imoen's soul. At least one of these you cannot give up without losing life. I don't mind and what you care for is of no importance to me."

"You are helping the elves? Those treacherous weaklings, who only can impose their will on those who show at least the tiniest bit of independent thought and ambition? And even then only if they can vastly outnumber them?" The vampiress hissed, but withheld her temper, her face once more becoming almost human, or… elven? "You will not have the Lanthorn back. It is their punishment for recanting us."

"I don't see how anyone should be punished for that." Daria tried not to care for the vampire's words, but they meant too much to be ignored. And had even greater meaning when she considered who was truly the reason for all her suffering.

"Fool" Bodhi laughed sensing the hesitation she had caused. "No elf would ever do what we did! No elf would ever…"

"Impossible!" Xan whispered louder than he should.

"Possible" the vampiress smiled. "And Daria. There's only one thing I will return to you tonight. I told you that… I will give him back." Bodhi's lean hand caressed the arm of one vampire standing by her side. She pushed him gently forward, closer to the sources of the light the living brought inside her crypts, so that all could see his features clearly.

"No…" a moan was the only sound Daria managed to produce. She looked and she saw what she had to, the only possible thing she could see, that wouldn't change, just wouldn't change! Her breathing hastened and she felt the choking despair when another tide of emotion almost knocked her off her feet. In the middle of the chamber full of vampires, separated from Bodhi just by a pond of blood, that some of could be his, she cried. Behind her stood people that just as well could be total strangers.

"How does it feel?" Bodhi asked, grinning like a torturer just using his favorite tool. "Tell me how does it feel?"

Daria's back straightened, she loosened her fingers that even now weren't trembling. And she glared at the vampiress with her pure gold eyes. The tide of emotions subdued leaving only cold fury behind.

"Even you, Bodhi…" Daria whispered, feeling many things that calmed since the last time she met eye to eye with the vampiress awaken. "…the lowest dirt of this world, are allowed to have this one last moment of satisfaction in your existence. Before you cease."

And then she bounced at Bodhi, transforming into the Slayer in the mid-jump. Paladins and priest released the spells they were preparing quietly – the only reason why air wasn't bristling with righteous curses so far. And the mayhem began.

In this mayhem Daria got to Bodhi. She tried to run away but the Slayer threw one of vampiress' own servants to knock her down and then drove its claw through her chest, tearing the heart out. But that wasn't enough. If that was to be the last thing she was to do Daria wanted to leave no more than a stain of blood that used to be Irenicus' sister.

Fires were roaring around her, holy energies swashing over her scales, cries of faith and pain alike, barely crowded in the chamber, but that all had no meaning for the Slayer, who with furious dedication was turning no longer moving vampiress into a piece of torn flesh. And then all of sudden Slayers talons dived only into an icy cold mist, when the vampire mistress began to retreat to the dark sanctuary of her coffin. All fury washed over Daria who was now watching her blood-covered hands, kneeling in a pool of cold crimson. They were shaking.

"Solaufein!" she looked around. A body was lying nearby, the same she used to knock Bodhi off her feet. Its skin was darker than that of most vampires, ashen, but not onyx black anymore. A huge spike was thrust through its chest, going through the heart. He was turning to dust before her very eves.

"No… Solaufein, no… I won't let you…" She touched the face that immediately crumbled under her hand. Drops of water, tears, genuine tears began to steam from her eyes when she grieved openly, not trying to hide from the world. "I won't let you, like the others… They left me, but you stayed, not to manipulate me, not to use me, Solaufe…" Her voice broke. He battle was finished, but her allies didn't sheathe their weapons yet. There tried to find out if she would be the one more enemy they would have to face.

It all didn't matter. There was no world exept for her and him. And he was fading away.

"I won't leave you, because you didn't leave me…" She whispered few words of a spell she wouldn't learn in the Candlekeep, a spell no good-natured wizard would ever want to learn. But Irenicus showed her much about manipulating spirits.

"You will stay like that, with me, until I find a way. I won't let you go to hell with Bodhi. I will restore you, even if I couldn't save you. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..."

The ash that used to be the vampire reformed into a pearl she held in her palm, drawn from among her spell components. The pearl darkened, becoming black as the depths of Underdark. Daria clenched it her fist and run out of the chamber, the Shadow Thieves moving from her way, no one brave enough to try to stop her.

Anomen moved to go after her. He gave her this moment to say farewells to the fallen friend, but he wasn't going to let her be alone now. He was just crossing the door, when someone caught his arm in a steel grip.

"No, stop, you fool!" Someone pulled him back to the chamber where the last blessed cleansing, last massacre took place. Everybody who survived was watching him, the only person who tried to follow Daria. Watching with suspiciousness – the knights of the order who just witnessed the horror the elven woman held within; with reconciled anger – those who expected this to happen, the Shadow Thieves warned by their master, and Valygar, who seemed to know it would end like that sooner or later; with worry – Imoen, the only one. Jaheira held his arm, not letting him go after the Bhaalspawn.

"Leave her alone. She's not stable now." The druidess stated as if she was instructing a child.

"Lady Jaheira, what, by all gods, are you speaking about?" Anomen barely believed what he was seeing. And he saw a lot. He saw his friend becoming an avatar of a dead god, he saw her wail in pain over dead comrade's body, he saw her suffering. "Of course she's not stable! That's why she needs us!"

"Are you blind?" The druidess was half-surprised half-furious. "Did you somehow miss that she was the Slayer just a minute ago? Can't you see how much she changed? She wouldn't welcome your help anymore! She's not some little girl you can pat on a head and tell hug her till she stops crying. One wrong move and she'll tear you to shreds."

"No, I don't see how much she changed." Sir Anomen, knight of the order straightened his back and looked into Jaheira's furious green eyes looking every inch a knight, only plainly common anger visible on his face. "All I see how much you changed, lady Jaheira. You used to be Daria's support, someone she could always turn to, someone who would trust her. But now you are just a coward."

The druidess let go of his arm. Her eyes were flaring as if she was trying to fry the priest with her glare, for a seconds fury stuck in her throat.

"How… How dare you judge me? You have no idea what you are talking about, you weren't even there! How dare you assume you know anything, you…"

"Forgive me if my words are harsh, but I only speak of what I see. I do not know what was done to Daria, I have no mysterious knowledge about the soul that was stolen from her or her heritage. All I can say is that we should all go to see her. She needs her friends now, not more suspicions."

Jaheira closed her mouth before answering bitterly, viciously. There was more truth in Anomen's words than he knew, more than Jaheira wanted to accept, the truth she wanted hidden. The truth that she feared.

She feared, because Daria became the unnatural, and deep in her heart Jaheira knew she always fought the unnatural. But how could she stand against _her_ Daria? The girl as stubborn as caring, shy and outgoing at the same time, unwaveringly loyal. It wasn't her fault that her spirit was torn from inside her, it wasn't her fault that the taint of her father was consuming her slowly. None of this was a mistake she made and yet it was her who had to suffer the consequences.

And a time came when Jaheira should have confronted the ward Gorion trusted her with, because it could have been too late to save her, but she couldn't do it. Daria was falling deeper and deeper, and the druidess more and more didn't want to see it, trying to muffle out her own voice urging her to act to preserve balance. Anomen's faith was very contrast to her lack of it.

And in the end it was just as the knight said. She left her chosen daughter, abandoned her, lost all faith both in the Balance and the one she loved. And Daria had to suffer alone.

"Anomen." She glared at the knight, but where in her glare there was fury, now was only hawkish sharpness. "Leave your knights to clean up the mess. Valygar, get the Lanthorn and meet us outside. The rest – let's go. We left Daria alone long enough."

They found her on the surface, sitting on the muddy ground among the graves, looking at the sky of fading evening, finally visible from under the last retreating clouds. The sun was setting slowly on the horizon, hiding behind the lines of buildings of Athkatla. It took them a day of fighting to cleanse the crypts.

"Why!" the strength of her scream stopped Jaheira in her tracks. The wail of despair wasn't meant for her to hear, she wasn't the one that had to, that could possibly answer that question.

"Why him, not me?" Daria never grew in her faith, never questioned her beliefs, she just accepted that she chosen someone to watch over her and didn't ponder on it any further. Looking back on it she might have chose Labelas Enoreth, the elven god of history and longevity for her patron to impress Xan, who thought of Erevan, the Trickster God a more appropriate deity for her. Not a very inspired reason. She was not an outstanding example of a faithful person either. Xan taught her one simple prayer, but she quickly forgot it. Keeping her eyes to the ground she gave no extraplanar meaning to the events around her, only guessing when her cursed parentage took control of the course of actions. Wherever there were the divine symbols, the setting sun before her, her heart knew it was no sign, no miracle. Nothing good ever came down to her from Heavens and she never expected it would. But this day she turned to the sky with her first prayer, a malediction.

"Answer me!" she dared the setting sun. She threw a lump of muddy ground as if trying to taint the red glow disappearing behind the line of horizon. "It was my fault, my choice from the very beginning, everything! I don't know what you are trying to prove and I don't care! Answer me, or I'll make you answer, I'll come and make all of you answer…"

The last beam of sun fell on her face and disappeared. The dusk leaked from the corners on the desecrated graveyard. Daria watched now barely lit horizon with determined hate.

"So you just go away? You – a god? Coward! Traitor! I am not perfect, I am not even good and I don't want to be, I never was meant to be! That's what I am – a Bhaalspawn! Tried to be a hero, but got defeated by my own self! I… Even a god would do better to stay away from me, I know, I…"

"If I can't… be good anymore, if you don't have any words for me… Could I at least end this the way of elves?" The silhouette of an elf shouting at the set sun seemed very little then, and very weak. No one could see her face, but even if someone could she didn't care that much about these shameful tears. There wasn't much she could do anymore, only whisper. "Labelas Enoreth, grant me my death…" The words slipped from her mouth, coming from somewhere inside her, where the last shred and torn pieces of her Spirit lied and now found a moment to ignite into this one last wish. Her last emotion – hope, woke and took her back to the moments when she was still complete, and died, leaving but emptiness in incomplete darkness of twilight.

And then the miracle happened.

Not from the spectacular ones, but perhaps even more unearthly because of it. The sun rose again from the west, it rose and shone a minute longer, taking a moment to retract the journey it already completed this day, a sunrise in the middle of Daria's night.

The elven woman closed her eyes, feeling as little warmth as a setting sun gave. The tears stopped and for a second everything halted to let her find the perfection in this moment.

"I can't die now, can I?" She could have said it, or maybe just thought. The world was so unreal… "There's a place in prophecy for me, and what I want bears no meaning. I have to stand up and fight evil, save the innocents… I… I don't want to protect anymore, I want to be protected…" Her endurance must have reached its limit then. On the eyes of her comrades, who dared not to come closer, she fell into the bloody mud, in the darkness jealous of the attention the light gave to the elf.

"No!" Xan screamed seeing her collapse after calling the death. Not death, only not death! They were too close now, Suldanessellar was only few steps away!

He rushed to her side, but his hand stopped in midair when he tried to take her in his arms and he couldn't move it any further. He told him, ordered him to never touch her again without her permission and he simply couldn't force his body to move any further.

"Daria!" he called her name desperately, but she didn't move, lying immobile before him, her tattered robes sprayed with dirt and blood, her face turned to the ground. Jaheira took the small elf in her arms, checking if she was still breathing.

"She's just unconscious." The sentence sounded and Xan found out he could breathe again.

"We need to go" Anomen kneeled by the druidess holding Daria, his face wearing a worried frown. "The knights saw Daria when she was… I mean the thi… the Slayer? I talked to them and they are not pleased. We need to leave Athkatla now. If we set a camp behind the city limits, there will be no pursuit. If you allow me to stay in the group."

Jaheira glanced at Anomen, at the worried face he would usually hide under mask of arrogance. Was that what Daria saw in him? The druidess nodded. Her ward needed all the friends she could get.


	52. The Blindman's Truth

„**The Blindman's Truth"**

No trace of nightmare he could see on her face as she slept, healed by Jaheira and wrapped in warm blankets. Not even a furrow on her brow, no expression on her lips. He watched her face carefully, unable to decide how much, or how little she had changed since the day he saw her for the first time in the depths of Nashkel Mines. Her hair was slightly longer, almost reaching the line of her waist, but full of tangles she never found time to properly brush, washed recently, but then covered with dust and cobwebs of the crypt, blood and graveyard's mud. Chestnut-colored locks seemed much darker, lying in disarray surrounding her face, fair skinned, without a trace of burns. She didn't look fresh and full of vitality anymore, but still on the borders of health. The only scars she had were those he only noticed now, so far hidden in the sleeves of a robe that was pierced by so many spikes and cut by that much of blades that only magic could possibly to hold it together under countless stitches. There were two long lines up to her wrists that told him clearly that she wasn't the one deprived of feelings.

"Xan" Jaheira sat on the other side of Daria's bedroll. The enchanter didn't answer, gave no sign that he was aware of Jaheira's presence. He wanted, but his voice didn't sound right to be heard in this moment of quiet. The sky over their heads was becoming darker, clouds thwarting the stars' glow. Upcoming rain could be smelled in the air. Soon they'd have to move the resting sun elf inside a tent.

"Do you know what the truth only the blind know is?" Jaheira addressed him, but looking at the girl, the woman, her dear old friend Gorion entrusted to her care. She touched her face gently and stroked her hair with effortlessness Xan almost hated her for. "It's how sight is important. How difficult it is to live without it. How the word in its every spectrum is different without being able to rely on your eyes. Only after you lose something you can tell how precious it was to you.

Daria is very dear to me. In many ways she is like my daughter. And I am aware of the impact the sole fact that she's alive has on the Balance. But I would never say that there is no thing in this word worth endangering this Balance, that's not what being a druid means. For me Daria is worth the risks, though I didn't realize it until only recently. There are dangers, there are sacrifices… already I am branded as a traitor among Harpers whom I considered my brethren and guides, but for me she's worth it. Lying down one's life for someone seems drastic, but I can comprehend it." Jaheira sighed deeply and Xan could almost see her thoughts reaching out to memories of Khalid. But then the half-elf's brow furrowed and she looked straight at him.

"But what you do… purposefully throwing away something that means so much to you... This I can't understand." To hear that said so plainly hurt like a needle piercing his chest.

"I lost my husband, Xan, the man I loved the most. I will have to live the rest of my life without him and believe me, every second I am aware of this fact more and more. You know how it hurts to lose someone. But if there was any chance to bring him back, no matter how dangerous or improbable... I'd try it."

"Jaheira…"

"Do not dismiss my advice thoughtlessly" she didn't let him finish. "Listen to the blind man's truth. A chance for happiness without any regrets happens only once."

Jaheira stood up and left him to his silent watch.

"I…" Midnight just passed. He entered the tent which Minsc just carried her into. She didn't wake and no one else was inside. Imoen was keeping watch with Jaheira and he wanted to use the moment to squeeze out a goodnight, to say something that would put his mind to ease at least a bit. He didn't say much to her since Spellhold, he didn't tell her what was happening with him during the nightmarish passage through the Underdark, but there had to be something that summed it up.

"I…" He tried to say it all, but without trying desperate, he tried to hold the raving words inside only letting the simple stoic sentences out. He couldn't find even one simple sentence. Only the thoughts were spiraling further and further.

"I…" '…cannot free myself from you. It is hopeless. No matter how hard I try to keep my thoughts, my eyes away from you, it doesn't get any easier and I can't go on like that forever, I can't do it even now. You are sleeping and in my mind this pathetic excuse is enough to lower my defenses and before I know slip into this dream I created in my mind, the twisted truth I hoped was true. Despite trying to stay on guard. Despite trying to stand firm on the ground, holding on to the things I know will happen. My death. And yours. The end of your existence.'

'I keep thinking these thoughts and make a step forward. It is just one small step. But one more and I am here, by your side as you sleep, and I don't even know when I gave up to this dream so much. I want to touch your hand, but this I cannot do. I am pathetic. I am too afraid to stand by your side, but not strong enough to leave it, so I try to make you walk away or cast me out. But you don't care, do you? My anguish means nothing to you. You have your own demons and mine pale in comparison.'

"I…" 'I decided to stay by your side, I promised, till the day Irenicus' dies. So here I am, trying to become as much a shadow as possible, not to cross the line where my actions would mean anything. Whenever I cross this line, whenever I try to change your way, I get burned as if by fire. I try not to see and not to watch. Dying would be easier, but isn't it always?'

"I hate you." 'I really do. Tears are coming from my eyes uncalled. It is reasonable. I betrayed you. I could have just as well been the one that pressed knives to your skin. I betrayed you to save my worthless life. There will be no justice, of course. There never is. You will die soon, either by Irenicus' hand or in countless battles among your brothers and sisters, and if the Gods have a cruel streak I will return to Evereska with the title of hero. One day news of you death will reach me. I will probably care still, I will feel terrible. But I will forget. Sooner or later, everything – your face, your name, the way you laugh, even that I sat here one night, unable to tell you anything that made sense. If Gods are looking my way, they will probably have enough sense of humor to let me live for another century of bitter regret.

But you know what? I will hate it.

Yes, maybe that will bring you some consolation. I will never be happy. Those few moments we had – the kiss, the night you told me you loved me, I think those were the only moments in my life I could say I was truly happy. Without you it will all be worthless. The memories will only bring more bitterness and pain.

So… I love you. And this is true even if I will never say it out loud again. Tomorrow I will do my best to die protecting you. If I fail I will try again the next day. And the one after that. It is selfish, I know, but I see no other choice for myself. I am doomed. Truly, now. I wish…

…for it to be different, for you to be free from this taint Bhaal's blood is. I wish I saw you for the first time in blooming gardens of Evereska, in broad daylight, away from any danger. I wish…'

Xan sighed, stood up and walked away. He found nothing he could say.

Daria stared at the tent shivering over her head, covering her from the rough wind blowing outside. By her sides slept Imoen and Jaheira, both clinging to her for warmth deep in their own dreams. Imoen was dreaming too, with her soul keeping her warmer than the blanket covering her body. Daria didn't move, not to wake them. She was thinking, staring at the top of their tent.

A black pearl hung on her neck on a silver necklace she couldn't recall creating it into. She remembered trying to make Solaufein stay, to bind his spirit to herself, protecting from his undead master. There was no possibility for her to succeed, she didn't know such magic. All she knew was how to be hurt. All she had left was a black pearl containing his ashes. And she was once more alone.

She could count on one hand the number of times she regretted not having her spirit, the inability to feel emotions as sharply as before, but deep in her heart she accepted this state, because at last there was no guilt she felt in the darkest corners of her subconscious since the night Gorion died, since she heard his killer say: 'Give up the ward you are keeping and you shall be spared'. At last she was free from this inability to forgive herself those countless deaths happening all around her, more often than to be taken for accidents or sign of a turning point of the age. Without these heavy feelings she could look at Jaheira and not recall Khalid, without these feelings she could ignore her advices and finally proceed at her own will.

She was free from any influence from her past.

And yet... she couldn't accept for this state to last. It wouldn't kill her as it was killing Irenicus slowly. Both she and Imoen were fueled with the blood of their father that would keep them alive and killing. She couldn't accept this to go on, because the moment Solaufein died she wouldn't be able to grieve him. The moment he would cease to exist he wouldn't matter to her any longer. That she couldn't allow, even looking at it from her emotionless perspective. And thus a crack appeared on the wall that surrounded her heart.

Long time ago Xan told her that for an elf she was, living as an adventurer, risking her life every day in a countless dangers of the road, there were only two perspectives. To lose all respect for life or to lose all the will to live. Because it was impossible to ignore every fallen enemy, sooner or later their deaths would affect everyone and during their long lives, the elves were influenced the most. In less than two years Daria felt the death in all its forms so close because of her heritage, as close as a living being could, that becoming a merciless killing machine appeared tempting, if it meant freeing from all hesitations and afterthoughts.

But even if that was the course she took, even if that was the only way for a child of Bhaal, other than death, then... because of Solaufein and for him, she would stray from it for a while longer, if only to grieve him properly.

Daria rubbed a rune on a bracelet she wore and Gooseberry appeared in a flash of dulled silver light. Imoen mumbled something in her sleep.

She and her familiar. Two minds woven by magic. They got separated when her spirit was stolen, their telepathic bond weakened by distance and disarray her mind have become, but somehow they found each other again, both heading towards the same place – their home. To a rat coming back to Athkatla aboard some ship was possible, but her long delay caused him much uncertainty and fear. Never again she wanted to lose her familiar like that and because of that she created a bracelet that allowed him to go to her side anytime and anywhere. By her side was his place as well as hers by his.

'Mistress?' his thoughts tingled her like a touch of rat's whiskers.

'I feel lonely, I need someone to talk to, someone close…'

'I am with you, my mistress and I'll be happy to ease your loneliness. I will forever stay by your side.' The rat snuggled to the elf's neck, tickling her. The words she needed to hear so much brought tears to her eyes. He felt like the last warm part of her mind. 'I may be but a rat, my mistress, but do not underestimate me. I will defend you however I can. I will gnaw through the wires of a trap that threatens you, I will bite a wizard's toes if he tries to enchant you, I will guide you to a hole where you can hide safely. There is no thing I wouldn't do for you, my wizardess.'

'Both among the rats and elves, there is no braver spirit than you, my familiar. How can I ever be sad with you by my side?' Tears were rolling down Daria's cheeks, but Gooseberry moved to lick them off her face. The rat's dark eyes were looking into hers and she knew he understood. They were of twin minds.

"Sis?" Imoen mumbled, half-asleep. The pink-head opened one eye lazily and seeing her sister crying moved closer to embrace her.

"You're not alone, sis, you know that? You have me by your side, you'll always have. Your good old Imoen…" she whispered into elf's ear and then kissed her on the cheek.

Daria felt someone else's arms circling her shoulders from the other side of the bedroll. Jaheira's smell of herbs filled her nostrils.

"You behaved highly irresponsibly" the druidess muttered, hugging the small elf to her chest. "We are not telepaths, and we can't communicate through sighs and gazes either. We're your friends, but we won't know what's wrong unless you tell us. Only then we can do everything to help you."

"I'm sorry?" Daria asked, her tears disappearing in her sister's pink hair.

"It's alright, child. It's alright."


	53. The Name of Love

„**The Name of Love"**

Of all the things he had witnessed today many he'd gladly forget, but those eyes…

She held a child in her arms, carrying the little elven boy so he also could be protected by the magical wards she wore on her clothes and jewelry. Around them golems and demons were tearing apart the once magnificent elven city Suldanessellar, murdering its inhabitants and desecrating temples. The madness somehow spared two children who managed to hide on the roof of a workshop and waited there for their parents, who rushed to face invaders. The parents could just as well be dead, but for now the children were safe. Daria noticed the pair somehow and made to the roof before the demons found them.

"Thank you, elder one." The boy bowed when Daria put him on the ground, just by the point where Elhan was evacuating the inhabitants. His eyes were all teary, but he was struggling to keep those tears at bay. The elfling took hand of the girl that hid with him, his sister or neighbor, and went to join the group of fugitives.

Elder one… A respectful title one gave to the elves that saw many centuries pass. Xan would never name Daria like that, she was barely an adolescent by the elven standards. It was true that she possessed the level of magic many elves would never in their long lives reach, and was experienced much more than an average person of her age, but she was still very…

…young.

He saw her eyes.

Daria had eyes that saw centuries. No wonder the boy mistook her for one of the elders. She had eyes that saw much death and much pain, more suffering than they should and not enough hope to make up for it. She had eyes of those who embarked on their final journey, knowing that they would either find a sense in life, a spark to make them want to go at least a bit further, or die.

Xan turned his gaze away. She shouldn't have such eyes.

It was a pause in battles, a night they needed to rest. Somehow they managed to push back the attackers long enough to reach the temple and wake the ancient protectors of the elven city. The streets weren't safe yet, but the spirits of Rillifane were on their guard, cleansing them from the evil Irenicus brought from the Abyss.

The battle was far from over though. The queen's palace was still beyond their reach – they would storm it in the morning. Only them – the group that chased mad Irenicus through the bowels of Toril and would chase him to the end. It was as it should be, as she needed her spirit back.

With day as frenzied as it was, tearing their bodies in battles and their hearts with the sight of ruin brought upon the elves, the night was surprisingly calm. Its quietness was gentle… healing the protectors as they slept in one of the abandoned buildings near the palace. Daria didn't sleep, she didn't feel like it, no matter how much Jaheira urged her to. She had a long talk with Valygar and a short, but very loud with Minsc, when he ensured her of his and Boo's loyalty. And that was it. Not much more was left to do before tomorrow's final battle.

She found Xan on the balcony of their little stronghold, watching the stars, or perhaps only avoiding watching the destroyed city underneath the beautiful façade of balcony. She sat by his side feeling a strange déjà vu.

"Can I talk to you for a bit? I have something important to tell you" she asked.

"Please, go ahead" he answered just as calmly, but they both knew he wasn't calm. After this day he was just too tired to be afraid or even sad.

"I wanted to tell you that I love you." He winced when she said that as if she struck him with a lightning rod. "Please, hear me out to the end" she asked before he had a chance to respond. "It's a rather old story I want to tell you and it begins as in fairy tales. I fell in love with you from the first sight." The sadness in Xan's eyes was inescapable, but he respected her wish for him to wait with his words. "You were all I ever dreamed about. A powerful mage, but not arrogant, an elf - distinguished, graceful, thoughtful."

"I was never… truly thoughtful. I should have cared much more." He couldn't stop to voice his regret.

"For me, you have. I learned to admire you and you were good to me, caring for what I thought, teaching me gradually without a word of impatience. I really felt the close bond between us, like I felt with no one else before, like I could talk with you about everything, truly everything. I thought I loved you, back then, watching you as you slept through my watches, till the late hours of night" Daria glanced at the stars, the same she used to ask about their future, before she learned to get her questions answered.

"With time all I knew as a fact turned out to be but a delusion created to allow me to have a carefree childhood. The outside world wasn't a tale in a book, heroic acts could be just a murder depending on the side of conflict, they were just a murder that someone named heroic – our journey from the very beginning was difficult and bloody, leading to a painful truth instead of happy ending. And you were with me through all this. I can't even explain what it meant to me. Thank you.

I remember when you left Baldur's Gate..." Again a memory overwhelmed her, like a conscious reverie. "The whole party gathered to bid you farewell, just like we were the previous day, to see Kivan the last time. You came close to me, hesitated only for a moment, and kissed me lightly on a cheek. And you said your farewells in elven... You said: farewell, my sister. I cried when you turned away, but you didn't look back to see it. I didn't have any experience, knew nothing how to make two people happy together... And I lacked the courage to open up and honestly tell you how I feel. I let you go without taking the chance to tell you how much I wanted to see you again.

Back then I thought I already realized that life isn't as simple as a book, but instead I only created a new tale in my head, in which nothing good ever happened, and parted friends would never meet each other again. And once more I was wrong. Destiny is not a toy for goods, neither for mortals. All there is to it is... a coincidence.

And we met again.

In Athkatla, you remember?" she smiled at him, but he didn't. All he could do was to hold back the tears. "I cared so much more then, all because I was afraid of practically everything after the time in Irenicus' dungeon. Most of the time I didn't even realize I was shivering with fear, only because I was reacting with terror to almost everything, only refused to admit it. I wanted nobody to know how much devastated I was, because... if you found out... I'd just have to accept all that happened to me. I was running away, driven by fear and guilt, just like Irenicus said. I couldn't face my own fears. And you were there for me again, maybe a bit more distant, like as if I was beginning to realize I was making you into a dream in my head, too good to be true. But you were there for me nonetheless. My protector. My gentle friend.

When you left me... everything faded in one moment. Nothing was like before, the world lost all its colors, tastes, sounds. Only one thing remained after Irenicus took my spirit and you took it away." This wasn't a pleasant memory and one much more recent, but somehow she kept smiling. Why? Even she didn't know.

"I hated you for taking that last thing, I wanted you to feel the void I felt, make you as empty as I was. That's why I did those things in Ust Natha... becoming like a drow, killing in the arena. I thought that if I was a demon from the start than all the pain and emptiness would be gone when I accepted what I was. In the end... I had to become a monster to realize that I wasn't one.

It was Solaufein who helped me understand that." Her hand wandered to the mysterious pearl in her necklace. "I will always feel pain, even if I am always ready to fight, no matter if I'm hurt by the solitude or because the death I bring to my friends. There is no escaping from sadness, but also, there will be always happiness to be found. It wasn't a relaxing realization, but it made me somewhat at peace. I feel more complete now, even without my spirit, than I was ever before.

And also I wanted to tell you that I love you and I always will, milya mellon" she was coming close to end of this long monologue now. For a moment Xan's lips moved as if he was about to interrupt her, but no words fell. He let her finish first. "…and that you were right that we should part. Love alone doesn't mean enough. After all, there are people destined to be together, bond to meet again no matter of the distance and time, those victorious even in the face of death but... only in fairy tales. You are my love, but we have to go our separate ways.

I am telling you this... because it is a farewell, though I can't say that we won't meet again. I never managed to say this to Kivan, to thank him for teaching me and for letting me grow up, but at least I can thank you. For everything."

"But why? Why now?" her last words shocked Xan, he didn't expect that.

"Irenicus has to be stopped."

He just looked at her with despair, not understanding. "You need my help."

"If we fail he has to be stopped by someone else. The knowledge of him, of his alliances with drow, rituals, magic... we discovered too much to let it waste, even if we fail. Someone must stay behind and ensure that our struggles won't go to waste, to help the second strike, guide them. I choose you."

"I don't want to stay, wait as you'll be fighting to your death with a monster! Let me go with you. I promised you this."

"We can't all die there Xan. Today is different than any other battles so far."

"I was running away from death long enough." That slipped from his mouth surprising even him. But it was true. He didn't want to see her die before him, killed just few steps from him as he was waiting in safety for her return.

"Xan..." she took his hand in hers. It was terrible to feel her touch after such a long time. Only with the last reserves of his willpower he held back the flood of emotions almost breaking through his will. How cruel of her it was to touch him at the same tame asking him to let her go into embrace of certain death. "In the name of what was between us, please stay today and let me face my destiny, without you."

"I..." a cry hidden deep in his chest was trying to break free, clenching his voice.

"Please."

"I..." And then something broke inside him. All the reasons to leave her, all the reasonable things keeping him away from his feelings, all the sterile knowledge suddenly wasn't enough to stop him from saying from the bottom of his heart. "No, I... I won't leave you. I won't leave you ever again. It would be so easy to say it knowing we will die, but no. I won't leave you as long as I live."

"Xan..." she moved closer to him, only a breath away... 'Maybe she understood?' he thought for a split second, on the verge of fainting. He made a mistake in judgment and he stayed by it, at the same time regretting it every lonely day, every bitter night. He never realized that what he was throwing away was worth more than what he'd be left with and he wanted to repair it somehow, return it, with all his strength so far he considered pathetic. But if it would let him confess to her he would never say it was again in his life. Maybe she understood...? Maybe all he needed to tell her now was what he felt towards her?

"Daria, I…"

"Sleep... Xan, milya mellonamin..." Daria whispered into his ear and her sweet hollow magic took him.

The elf felt limply into her arms and she placed him gently on the balcony. He was now under the protection of the ancient spirits of Suldanessellar, nothing bad would happen to him. She placed a blanket on him to ward off the cold of the night. With consideration she touched his face, slowly moving her palm on his skin, feeling its warmth, its soothing magic. And then she lowered her head closing her eyes unhurriedly and kissed him, lightly as if just brushing with his lips. This was one more, one last protective charm she would leave him. Her hand wandered from his face to her lips as she pulled back. She looked at him one last time, with gaze full of love, the feeling kept in boundaries by determination showing in her stance, and walked away to join the rest of her companions, to tell them he was staying.


	54. The Last Stand

„**The Last Stand"**

A gentle melody of a stone harp intertwined with strong sounds coming from a horn held by a statue was all that saw them off to the last battle, as the passage behind a waterfall inside the palace of once mighty Suldanessellar opened before their eyes. The Tree of Life spread its branches to allow them free passage to the place where the Exile sunk his poison into its leaves and roots.

"The Tree will guide us" Jaheira said, leaning on her quarterstaff, rough bark climbing up her fingers to cover her skin. "Mother Nature is on our side, we're not the only ones who depend on stopping Irenicus' corruption from spreading."

"Helm guide you" Anomen was whispering his prayers. He didn't leave them despite his duties being completed with the destruction of Bodhi's coven of vampires. It was a righteous cause, one his superiors in the Order would certainly approve, as he said. He continued chanting, enveloping them in more and more layers of blue light of protective energies. "May His All Seeing Eye watch our steps, may we be vigilant in battle against our enemy…"

"Be ready, sis" Imoen lost the playful spark in her eyes that was always her giveaway, no matter how hard she tried to pretend she was serious. Instead Daria saw that she had a powerful archmage as her ally and sister, more so because of this seriousness and intelligence in her eyes, than magic robes and staff covered with runes.

"He is aware of our intrusion and confident in his advantage. The Tree of Life protects him, but I can sever this link" the diviner whispered, entering the path among the branches.

"Daria." Jaheira just said one word. No question, no doubt.

"I know how. I can see how." It was all so strange and yet so natural, like it was always meant to be this way. Daria had no spirit of her own, she couldn't use the art of divination, and yet so little was unclear, so much was obvious. The world was sparkling in silver threads in her eyes, even though her pupils were violet like the day she was born. The spirit of the Tree was slipping into the void inside her.

And then Irenicus come into sight ahead of them, visible through the branches of the Tree, the sacred branches weaving to create a path for those it chose to be its saviors. He was standing on one of huge wounds on the wood created by cutting of one of the greatest stems, proud of his work. Wrapped in a cocoon of energies no mortal should possess, energies he harvested, stole destroying the order of world, he couldn't see that beyond the gates of the palace his influence was coming to an end. And yet, even if every one of his servants and slaves would perish he could still achieve his final goal. Godhood.

They came to stand before him and he did nothing to stop them. As a matter of fact, he was smiling.

"I am surprised you're still alive, Bhaalspawn. So long, despite all of your spirit torn away. It must have been so painful."

"I came so you would not take anything more away, Shattered One." What was the name? She didn't know, but it seemed right the moment it left her mouth. "And you won't, this I swear."

"Your swears and curses mean very little right now, spawn of Bhaal, just as your life. You should have found a pleasant place to spend your last moments before becoming one with your father, but instead you chose to follow me. This stubbornness…"

"RARRGH!" Minsc interrupted the speech neatly. Drawing Lilarcor and charging at the mad mage screaming. "IT IS HERO'S JOB TO KICK EVIL BUTTS!"

"Couldn't have phrased it better…" Daria muttered moving behind Minsc to give the berserker support. Just in time – she saw Irenicus beginning a spell, one that could kill her friend should she allow it to end. She wasn't planning to.

As in their carefully prepared strategy Jaheira and Imoen took care of offense magic, while she took care of defense. That particular spell her opponent was casting she knew and worked out in a matter of seconds. And in not much more time than that, she began to disrupt it. Reaching into her pouch of spell components the diviner began to chant, her voice sounding like a perfect echo of the madman standing not far before her in a cocoon that so far resisted all melee blows. The magic from her nightmares, the incredible gap of power that sent tremors across her body not that long ago, didn't seem to exist anymore, as if it was just a product of imagination and fear. He was still more powerful and she knew it. But she also knew she wasn't alone.

Now. Calmly. Controllably. The spell ruptured and for a second Daria felt the presence of a great Spirit within the Tree of Life, like a smell of grass in midsummer or sound of a chirping bird, the raging energies of a spell transforming into a flock of rainbow-colored butterflies that flew into the air inappropriately undisturbed. The presence was just a quick feeling, in might have not even been there, but the stun on Irenicus' face was authentic. He looked at his hands and then back at her.

"I see you have learned now tricks, Bhaalspawn." He smiled at her, cruelly, with some interest. "But not nearly enough." With two sharp waves of his palms he summoned a shadow gate disappearing from her sight.

"Anomen!" Daria called, but the priest already knew what to do.

"In Helm's name!" he drew forth his holy symbol of All Seeing Eye, banishing all illusions. With an frown of growing irritation Irenicus appeared once again, in the middle of another incantation.

This was the moment Jaheira finished her own chant.

"Avarae!" the druidess shouted, calling a swarm of all kinds of bugs to crawl over the mad mage's shields, looking for a smallest dent to get inside. In the approaching swarm Imoen's completed spell went unnoticed, until it smashed into the barrier creating a crack in the cocoon.

Just a small crack, but it was a start.

Daria felt the Tree of Life shivering underneath her feet. The Tree and Irenicus were now linked, hurting one meant harming the other as well, but it had to be done, a dent had to be made, to give her a chance to do what she had to. She took a last glance around the battlefield to make sure she was covered. Valygar was nowhere to be found, he was sparing strength, just as in plan. All was in place.

She kneeled and let her fingers penetrate the rough bark on the branch. She quickly closed her eyes.

The Tree was fractured, hurt. She was hollow, fractured, hurt. And Irenicus also was hurt.

They were there, the three of them, linked. Her link with the mad, the shattered – the link of her spirit, stretched painfully like a rope with each end in their hands. The link between the madman and the sacred Tree, the link of dark corruptive magic that was force upon Suldanessellar. And that meant that also she and the Tree were linked, now that there was a fracture she could reach out, extend her own will there. Knowing that in this state her awareness of the passing time was changed Daria let herself melt into the bond with the Tree of Life, to see what was on its other side. And to her surprise she discovered a vivid mind of another life. Gently, she touched it and…

_Her hand in his, a balcony, the mighty Suldanessellar before them…_

…_if couldn't be before him, than would be crushed under his feet._

_A kiss, the taste of his sweet lips, the glint of his eye, a smile in the morning sun…_

…_more and more mornings and days and yet neither worth even one thousandth of that minute in the morning._

"_Joneleth…" his name, the only one I want to hear._

"_Ellesime…" I mutter, vivisecting yet another clone. It's not the real thing and even it knows that._

Daria wailed and woke up, almost lost the connection to the Tree, but quickly clung to it. A vision, right now, a sharp, painful vision, one she never wanted to see, one that explained so much about thing she wished now never existed. The woman on the other side of the link was looking at her with sadness. It wasn't real, she couldn't be there physically, but the magical battle was raging against her friends all around her, the world did not pause for her to have time for severing the link. Daria hastily pressed her hands into the threads weaving the Tree and Irenicus, ignoring the visage of a woman before her. She quickly tried to comprehend what this link was and how to unweave it. That was the most important now.

A ghostly hand touched her cheek like a feather and Daria looked up again. The visage was beautiful. Her face was perfect by any cannons of elven beauty, it was as if it was shaped by the hands of an inspired artist with no equal. And at the same time there was only sadness on this perfect face. There was another bond Daria felt between them, one Irenicus in no way could reach.

"You understand…" the elven visage placed her palms on Daria's, still deep within the threads of energies overflowing the sacred place. One by one the threads began to break and vanish into the air. When Daria realized what was happening she did her best to help.

"It has to end… Joneleth is no longer… Now he's just Irenicus… For the Tree and… for you… it has to end…"

Ellesime left a light kiss on her forehead and disappeared within the magic of the Tree. The battle paused as Irenicus stared in space where his protections should be.

"**How dare you?"**

It was the morning and that meant she was fighting somewhere right now, while he sat on this balcony in the middle of a ravaged city, mockingly safe. The palace wasn't far, he could see the tangle of the trees covering its roof, but the odds of him making there on time were hopelessly low already. Should he decide to follow those who were his traveling companions only a day ago, and have some luck, he would find their bodies along with the madman's. And if he had no luck, which was by all means more likely, he would find Irenicus as a sole survivor and follow his companions one last time.

He couldn't help her. He didn't want to leave her. These contradicting feelings were the source of his miseries and he struggled so long unable to find an exit from this maze that even Daria lost her patience.

He wanted to go with her, even to die by her side, but that meant also that he could he could die by her hand. Simply staying with her was all he wanted, but it meant the never-ending torment of avoiding her eyes, pretending not to look at her, not to think of her. Impossible. Hopeless. And meant less than last year's snow to her.

If he wouldn't leave now, he would never leave. She needed him now, but he didn't delude himself thinking that this is the last time she would need him. There would never be the last time, as long as she was alive the world would be ready to spawn another Sarevok, another Irenicus on her way, each worse than his predecessor. Daria would not run out of enemies unless she wiped out every sentient being on surface of Toril and beneath. Maybe one day she would try. But her life was destined to be a constant flurry of being hunted, of carving her way through enemies, of escape to go on living. Her life was meant to be ruled by the blood of her sire.

And that was why she would always need him.

Irenicus was taking damage. They weren't safe anymore.

There was truth in this fact. As long as the mad mage felt safe, he would play with them without causing any serious damage until he'd get bored. Now it was a battle he could get wounded in, he could be defeated in, though his arrogance blocked out the last possibility from his mind, and that made the Tree of Life a battleground of a magic battle that few mortals had a chance to see since the fall of Netheril.

Daria was heavy pushed on defense, despite Anomen's help, who was healing the front line fighter's injuries in the middle of a small blizzard while they continued to slam Irenicus' stoneskins. Whenever the Shattered One used illusions, she protected her friends' minds, when he tried to bring down a rain of fire, she was already chanting to protect them from raging elements, the moment he drawn a summon from a distant elemental plane her Banish spell sent it back. Because the experience she gathered in her journey and the taint fueling her, the elf was able to stand up to the older wizard, but it was tiring and her strength was not limitless. On the other hand despite the determined efforts Jaheira and Imoen couldn't break through with offense. The pinkish Dispels and Breaching magic couldn't even give one clear shot for Minsc Jaheira's fire elemental, while the druidic curses didn't last more than split seconds against the mad mage.

'We need to find a break in his defenses soon,' Daria thought frantically. 'Or soon we won't have the strength to exploit it. Wait…' An idea popped to her head. Irenicus was intelligent, he already saw through their strategy, he only expected defense from her. More so, they used all their magic against his alterations that protected him from harm, trying to breach the shields, not him, personally. That meant if she disguised a magical attack as one more counter-spell and targeted him, she had a chance to get him, wound him, maybe paralyze him for few moments Imoen needed to gain an upper hand and crush his resistances. The flaw of this plan was that if she faked a counter spell it wouldn't work. It was a gamble.

Irenicus wasn't stupid, he knew that she was keeping the entire group from harm and because of that most of his spells so far were targeting her. If she failed… If she was eliminated, the rest of the party would be defenseless long enough for him to win this battle. If her plan failed, it would mean their death.

A sudden flash of light sent Minsc into the air. The giant berserker hit the trunk of the Tree and fell on the ground unmoving. Jaheira cursed badly and sent her elemental to cover for Minsc. Anomen was already on his way to the fallen comrade to bring him back on his feet. His face was almost grey from exhaustion.

Daria cursed using the exact same word as her foster-mother. Minsc was just by Irenicus, clashed in a short distance trying to break through his spells with rough strength. It was the hardest position for Daria to cover. That meant one thing. They were running out of time. She needed a spell to strike Irenicus. Badly.

And she had one. Something from the Candlekeep Library she could recall only when her form was so much like the Slayer's. She wrote it down the last night spent in Underdark trying to recall all her lost memories and finding no difficulty in doing so. A spell that granted her a detention from the great library for a month. Something she found in a book Gorion never intended for her to read. Unfortunately for the sage, his step-daughter was an elf with a good memory that could now recall all those once meaningless runes.

The moment was right. She feinted a spell of protection from magic with exact same first verses she could use for her invocation. Whatever came next she wouldn't be able to do anything about it. But it was to be Irenicus' last chance to do any harm.

The spell was complete. 'Eyes!' Daria screamed and her companions all covered their eyes, a team that went through countless battles acting as one body.

The heaven opened to let a ray of light so bright it was impossible to tell its color, freed itself from its embrace. It was magic only an archmage could leash and it was pure. No shield or amulet could protect Irenicus once a mass of unadulterated mystical energy hit him from the sky making the entire Tree of Life tremble up to its highest branches like an aspen leaf. Jaheira's elemental perished in an instant just because of the proximity to this phenomenon, but no one else was that close.

In three seconds the arcane radiance ended as sharply as it began. Irenicus was standing as he was, but wounded, the higher parts of his armor literally melted right on his body, its magic extinguished into nothingness. Everybody was looking at him stunned. It seemed like a miracle, but he was still standing. He was half-dead and he was still chanting, his spell uninterrupted.

He was not a novice caster. He was a genius of magic, a sadistic torturer and a master of discipline. Who knew more about pain than him?

'No one. But I was close' Daria thought seeing the completed spell spinning towards her in a snail's pace. The entire battlefield slowed to a peaceful rhythm of a relaxed morning. The spell – Bigby's Crushing Hand, closed around her body unhurriedly, immobilizing her hands, pressing them to her sides and squeezing all the air from her lungs along with the last scream. Slowly, contemplatively, the elf's ribcage shattered like an ant in wheels of a clock. She saw Valygar, sneaking behind Irenicus' back. He could have tried to interrupt the evocation. He didn't. He had no chance to kill the enemy with one blow.

Imoen was screaming someone's name.

"Xaaaaaan!" Imoen screamed at the top of her lungs. As if he needed a reminder to hurry. He cast an unfinished Dispel on Daria and surprisingly it was good enough to shed off the transparent limb crushing the woman he loved. He caught her before she fell despite the wet slippery blood on her robes pouring from the wounds shards of her own ribs made in her chest. He forced the strongest healing potion he had on him into her mouth despite the fact that she clearly wasn't able to drink it.

"Come on, Daria, come on…" he urged her barely able to catch his breath after running to the palace. He wasn't lucky. He was as unlucky as he could get. He got right into the middle of a storm of arcane battle, almost got permanently blinded the moment he entered and now was looking as the one he came here for was dying. That was his luck, he could have thought about this. He got here just in time to witness her death.

The elf in his arms stirred and began to gulp down the bluish liquid despite the obvious suffering it was causing her. It was not possible. No mortal could be conscious in this state… At this point Xan was actually happy she wasn't fully mortal.

The moment the mist in Daria's eyes cleared because of the effects of the potion, they went wide and she rolled him underneath her, covering them with her cloak. Wild flames roared over their bodies. Xan screamed.

"Get up." Daria was on her feet the moment the flames died out and at once she stumbled backward. The potion wasn't THAT strong. He supported her getting up, but she wasted no time and began chanting. His sudden appearance wasn't worth even a comment now.

Xan didn't wait for it. With renewed determination he showed a bit of his art, in half of a precious minute turning all the monsters Irenicus' summoned against him. Minsc was back on his feet and the enchanter turned his attention to him, starting from the most powerful buffing spells he had in his repertoire. He always worked more effective with supporting magic. Daria coughed out some blood, but soon stood by his side, continuing the previous chant.

In the rain of Imoen's lightning arrows and the flames and frosts of many, many spells of this battle, Xan decided that it was a good place to be their last stand.

The tides have turned and they gained an upper hand. They stood a chance to win this battle yet.

Valygar was watching closely from the shadows the leaves were granting. There was no indication that the madman was aware of his presence and that worked perfectly for him. On the other hand, Valygar could get to him in less than two seconds thanks to the boots enchanted with a haste spell and if not for the faltering stoneskins and other protective magic, Irenicus wouldn't even have a chance to fight back. But the spells were waning rapidly and soon the time would come to strike. In one moment it was dangerous, Minsc was knocked out and Daria almost died, but the surprising rescue came right on time. Valygar didn't feel any relief. If Daria died just then, it would solve many future problems.

He was rested, so far he took no part in battle, staying just out of range of magic targeted at Irenicus, stepping back when things were becoming heated, but then returning back on his post. Irenicus was also his enemy, like every mad mage, which he considered every spell user, but he was not his target today. He wasn't the worst danger they might have to face today. The real problem was Daria. He needed his strength to fight her.

If they won she would get back her soul. That was clear from Imoen's example. But no one seemed to consider that it could change nothing, or even make matters worse. The way he saw it the Bhaal's taint was literally – a taint. As long as it was dormant it didn't affect Daria's actions and didn't influence her soul, that was why Imoen was safe. But now that it has awoken it might began to corrupt its owner's soul the very moment it returns to its owner. Now she was soulless, had little motivation, was mostly dispassionate about the happenings around her, except the moments when a stray emotion from the past would resurface. But once all the feelings and emotions were back in their places there was no guarantee that instead of friendship and loyalty, she would feel a draining hate and violent need to murder everyone around her, caused by her taint. There was no telling what would happen.

These were the worst fears she confessed of having. And then she reminded him of his parents. Of love and madness caused by the magic. Valygar didn't see the point of asking how she knew so well things he only vaguely mentioned in few conversations. She told him that what he did was the only right thing he could do, and asked him, if he would be able to do the right thing this time as well. He was silent throughout all of her speech. 'Yes' was the only thing he said to her. The last words she said to him were annoying though.

"I'm sorry" Daria lowered her head looking humble. There was nothing to convince him of her sincerity. She obviously couldn't feel humble. "If my worse predictions come to be, it will complicate a lot between you and Imoen. I don't want to cause and bad feelings between you, but Imoen may not understand your intentions. Watch out for her."

He was determined not to talk to her, but it was a close call when he almost told her what he really thinks of Imoen. This little pink _mage _would not get an ounce of care from him. And he definitely wouldn't sway his blade for the care for her sister. If that was her plan than it would most certainly fail.

"You… how…?" Irenicus looked at the blood shooting out of his arm in a place where a hand was only a moment ago. Lilarcor squeaked in delight at the damage he caused. "This is not… possi…" he said nothing more because Valygar's katana was already on his throat. He ended it with one swift cut.

The giant branch of the tree gave up the last bit of endurance it had. Stricken with various elements, poisoned by the Shattered mage and tormented by the pain brought upon the Queen of elves, its life ebbed away and the sacred wood died underneath their feet. Valygar had a chance to get to a next living stem, but the others were too far away from the main trunk of the Tree of Life. He wouldn't leave them like that. He drew out his hand trying to catch someone and get to safety on time.

"Valygar!" Imoen screamed when the wood slipped from underneath her feet. He dove forth to catch her, letting go if the living stem. The branch he held for safety was breaking.

"Daria!" Xan called, but she did not respond. Even before the giant branch broke away from the sacred tree to crush on the ground countless feet lower, she was already falling.


	55. Dreams

„**Dreams"**

In one of the halls of the Great Library Gorion was looking at her with a stern face, waiting for her answer. It's been long since she feared this stern look. Numerous of the younger scholars as well as passing travelers were hesitant when addressing the sage, because of this aura of rigidity, the look that made many aware all their mistakes and imperfections. But she knew better. No matter how Gorion looked at her she could always climb on his knees and hug him, or throw a bundle of dirt at him sometimes, depending on the mood, and escape with her life. The limits of his patience with her seemed nearly nonexistent.

…I don't remember, she admitted after thinking through the question.

…It's an ancient gift given to those chosen by the elven goddess Angharradh, the gift to see into the future or past, he answered for her. He continued.

…It is said to be given not to the chosen bloodlines, but to those who were in need the moment of birth and it wouldn't be passed among the descendants. Because of this an owner of the gift is extremely hard to find, some claim that there are none in this age. Now, just as the Goddess has three natures, bound to create one entity, the Angharradh's Art of Divination consists of three characteristics: its fleetingness and randomness associated with goddess Aerdrie Faenya, who sends unexpected visions warning about dangers or unraveling secrets like the wind clears the sky from the clouds. Nightly visions showing future or past, a part of Sehanine Moonbow, the caretaker of dreams and mysteries. And… do you remember the last Goddess of the Three, Daria?

...Hanali Celanil, goddess of love... she whispered.

...yes, that's right. That's why the visions of those Gifted by Angharradh depend on their heart. Only those who can love truly see through their visions with clarity and chose the right path for him or her to take to find happiness. When one's heart is clouded by greed or selfishness and has no concern for others he or she wouldn't be able to see anything. It was very wise, do you know why?

...because only a pure heart can love truly?

...yes, that's right. Only those who can open their hearts to others could use their gifts for the good of all and only those who were loved in return could lift the burden of knowing the future. But we should all keep our hearts pure, not only those gifted by the gods, right? The sage laughed good-naturedly. She loved this laugh. The aging sage was the only one she knew that looked at her with such warmth and care.

…That's enough lessons for today, you did very well. Now go play with Imoen a bit.

It had to be hell.

The air was worse than in the Abyss. She could breathe easily, but in every breath she felt as if she was accepting something vile into herself. With all her might she wished not to breath, but she couldn't stop for longer than a minute. It was terrible, like if every gulp of air was a sacrilege.

The landscape didn't deceive her about its nature either. From everywhere twisted statues of devils were looking at her mockingly with red and yellow eyes, laughing at the misfortune that brought her here. If this was the prologue to being consumed by the taint of her father than it was worse that the darkest thoughts she could have on a loneliest night spent crying in her bed. It just had to be hell. Nothing worse should ever exist.

She couldn't see anything alive that'd keep her company in this place. It was good in all the possible ways. Her companions weren't here – they didn't go to this hell, and there were no devils or other creatures of undoubtedly nefarious nature. And yet she didn't feel optimistic.

There were six gates facing a central pedestal looking like twisted bodies of some enormous devils bound together in the middle. Five of them seemed to lead somewhere underground, intense heat was emanating from at least one. The last one was the biggest and looked the most terrifying. It was closed and guarded. Five eyeballs were watching her constantly from its frame, with no eyelids to close. Five gates. Five eyes.

She wasn't curious what was behind the last dark portal, but there was no other chance to find a way out, if there even was one. She heard a flapping sound of wings and a white feather fell before her on the grey stone that made the ground. There would be nothing should she look up, something inside told her that, but she picked up the white feather. It was warm and still white despite touching the dark ground of this realm, as if trying to testify that it was possible to remain untarnished in this evil domain. Daria squeezed it in her hand and approached the first gate.

She wasn't planning to give up yet.

"Every soul can become noble or vile, but strength and weakness are a different matter entirely." A demoness welcomed her behind the threshold of the first gate making Daria jump. She was gigantic compared to an elf, covered in scales in color of dark blood, so typical to her kind, and had tattered wings on her back. With every word a smell of sulfur was coming out from her mouth. "Do you know what makes the difference? I do." Daria made a step back when the demoness spread her torn wings. She summoned a stoneskin and momentarily cursed herself for not taking time to re-learn the spells she used up against Irenicus. She rushed to the gate. She shouldn't have. If only the air was more bearable she could've taken the moment to prepare more spells.

But the demoness only smiled and continued the monologue, without any more rapid movements. "Before you awaits a test, that will open a part of your soul, your heart, your potential to you – if you can accomplish it. Do not worry, it will not put you in any sort of danger, you are perfectly safe here. But what about your friends?" The demoness chuckled, melting back to wherever she came from never waiting for any sort of answer. "Go." Her talon disappeared the last, pointing into a dark corridor that opened behind Daria's back, in a place of a stairway that lead her here.

Feeling something heavy and unpleasant in her chest the elf stepped into the corridor. To leave or to go on into the darkness? But she couldn't simply ignore the words of the demoness. The narrow passage stunk noticeably and gradually became darker the further away she moved from the source of light in this hell. When it became too dark for even an elf to see the walls on her sides that couldn't be more than three feet apart, she summoned a magic Light to show her the way. Immediately she regretted this decision and the heavy tightness in her chest became a strangling knot. She knew what this place was.

Irenicus' dungeon that burned its mark into her spirit was welcoming her back. And this time it was not abandoned.

The demoness' words rumbled inside her head. 'What about your friends?' Falling she might have felt their presence, she felt as if she was bringing them together, calling them to fall with her, but why here? Why would they come here if only she was linked to Irenicus and this hell? Why wasn't this her imagination? How could they fall into this darkest pit of her heart?

Trying not to slip on the puddles of ancient mud, that were the only sign that the dungeon was once part of a sewage system under Athkatla, Daria hastened her pace and then began to run. The passage seemed too long, almost infinite, nothing but darkness ahead of her. Before she managed to reach its end she lost her breath entirely and had to stop, wheezing, her lungs begging for fresh air she wouldn't find here. When she doubled over to catch her breath she finally noticed something.

A line of red liquid mixed with the gray puddles, a stream coming from somewhere ahead in the darkness. Blood, a lot of it, slowly merging with the dirt, like a river falling into the sea. The floor, her shoes, all was already marked with red.

She retched. Someone… who? Why? Because of her? Because her demons were real here? Her stomach hurt, she all hurt, but still moved further. She couldn't run though. Red was everywhere.

Just when she was beginning to think that this tunnel had no end and she was stuck in an infinite limbo of despair the end of the passage appeared in the silver light of her spell. Heavy bars were blocking it, but there was a lever to let the owner of this place inside. She tried to pull it, putting all of her weight into it, but the metal gear would not even budge. It was made for golems, not elves.

Regular tapping sound could be heard from behind the bars. Daria shuddered already suspecting what was the source. In last attempt she tried to squeeze between the bars, but with no effect. The space was just too small, the metal enchanted to keep all the prisoners and magic within. There was no way for her to pass through the bars and that left her only one option. She sent her mage light forward.

There was a pool of blood in a hollow of the stone floor. A leak was stemming from it, twisting between the stones that paved the dungeon, passing between the bars and disappearing in the darkness behind her. There were red drops falling from somewhere above one by one, echo of their fall being the only source of sound in the grim dungeon.

Plop. Plop. Plop.

No, one of the two sources of sound. For Daria, her heart seemed to pound much louder.

Heavy red drops falling from somewhere higher. The elven woman's eyes involuntarily moved up. Her mage's Light now shaking and blinking at the verge of control also raised over the ground to cast its pale silver glow on something. Something hung on the hooks and chains just below the ceiling. Something not even resembling humanoid form. Something constantly dripping blood.

"Oh my God!" Daria screamed and jumped away from the bars. The Light flashed and disappeared, in sudden pitch black darkness the elf stumbled and fell awkwardly on the lever, which this time subdued and switched. The metallic clink of rusty bars being lifted muffled the sound of dripping blood for a moment.

In the darkness Daria lied after emptying her stomach on the moist floor. She wished to run back where she came from, wished there was a safe place where she could hide, but there was none. She was alone and the only other that came here with her was there, on those hooks… She bit her fist trying to muffle a sob.

With her limbs feeling like an impossible weight she managed to stand up and began to walk. One her hand she placed on the wall, the other was reaching forward, trying not to bump on something unexpected in now complete darkness. She needed to know, to find out this one last thing. Again she brought death on someone. And she needed to know on whom.

The wall ended to her left, that meant she went through the previously barricaded entrance into the torture chamber. Blood was dripping somewhere ahead of her.

A sob escaped her lips when she realized it was the time to cast the Light spell again. The spell she had prepared, but was not prepared for. She'd rather run away and face the demon by the entrance to this hell, but she needed to know. She needed to know who it was. She wished it could be only a horrid dream, if only she could have horrid dreams, instead of horrid visions of the future.

The single verse of the spell was articulated steadily, with all her willpower and concentration poured into it and she still felt sicker with every word. The sudden silver aura blinded her for few seconds, but her vision returned to normal. Almost completely paralyzed with terror she watched white spots disappearing from before her eyes. She looked up.

The mutilated corpse was gone. In its place a gray strangely shaped stone hovered lightly in the air before her. Drops of blood were falling from its bottom into the pool of blood on the ground. Daria reached out to touch it, half-conscious with shock and mesmerized by its alien beauty.

"Yes. Fear." The demoness spoke to her in the voice of the dungeon, the walls, the moist and the torture chamber talking to her in unison. "I cloud your mind, poison your logic, create illusions eyes and spells are useless against. I crush many, but not you. There are no fearless, few unaware of the risk and very rarely – those who act despite their deepest fears. You are stronger than me, Godchild, and I acknowledge it. The prize is yours."

And once again the scenery of hell appeared around Daria, but now it didn't seem that bad, or terrifying. The tear-shaped stone was glimmering in her hands. There were four more gates before her.

The second gate led her to a place she wouldn't imagine in hells. A ballroom lit with golden light from a huge candelabrum with a thousand or more white candles was waiting for her behind the door. Every free space on the windowless walls was occupied by pieces of art that looked valuable beyond her skills to appraise, or mirrors in beautifully ornamented frames, set just in the right places to illuminate the wonderful feast in the middle or the room. For Daria it was like the ducal palace in Baldur's Gate once more.

Like a gust of gentle breeze another devil appeared by her side. This one didn't look any better than the last one, but the scales on its torso were covered with a dark blue suit that had to be sown precisely for his deformed posture. It was comic to look at a well-dressed devil.

"Allow me…" The devil bowed before her and gracefully took the cloak from her shoulders. It seemed next to impossible to possess any grace with the amount of joints he had and yet he was graceful. Daria frowned noticing fresh stains of blood on the cloth of her cloak, but didn't ward herself against the fiend. This time she thought before wasting a defensive on a creature that wasn't even hostile. At least not yet.

"Please, follow me." The devil put away her cloak showing neatly cut nails – the only human trait this winged creature possessed. He showed her to a single chair placed by the table directly under the candelabrum. When she didn't follow him at once he turned and watched her from some distance.

"I do not wish to test you." The devil smiled without showing his teeth. This also looked very human. "And no one else here does. This place is meant for you to rest and recover your strength. I will give you all the explanations you desire, but I ventured you would prefer to eat first?" The light of candles danced on the silver plates and vases."

"And why would you want me to rest?" The devil was saying he had no bad intentions. Like if she would believe that.

"Because you deserve it." His smile again didn't show even a glimpse of his teeth.

"Explain it."

"Please…" He stopped behind the chair. Still not even slightly convinced of his sincerity Daria cautiously sat. The fiendish butler gradually uncovered the content of the vases and deep plates releasing the delicious smell. They were filled with dishes she dreamed about falling asleep in a tent in the woods of Amn, nothing she would expect from hells, no bat wings of frogs eyes in a soup. This had to be an everyday meal for a king. Briefly considering pros and cons Daria took the silver knife and fork.

"As to your question – why am I helping you? As I said, it's because you deserve it. You are a powerful mortal, who rose to greatness in a very short amount of time and it's only a peak of an iceberg your potential is. I acknowledge it. I am a devil, I originate from a place far more just than the First Material Plane. I reason you deserve all of it."

Daria snorted. "Only a devil could call the Hells just."

"You are mistaken, but your mistake comes from ignorance, not bad intent." The devil didn't lose his smile. "Let me explain to you in an example close your heart." The devil talked while serving the second course. Daria couldn't recall eating that good, ever.

"For you, Daria of Candlekeep, the road started when you were orphaned. You lost your only protector and a man that meant a lot to you. Then you were hounded by an enemy out numbering you by far, enemy both richer and more experienced than you, sharing the same powerful blood and destiny. And despite all that you survived, grew, your weakness you forged into strength, gathered allies and inspired them and eventually triumphed against the odds. You saved not only your own life, but a considerable piece of land from war and death it would bring. You should be offered a place in a palace, riches you rightfully won and a chance to respite as long as you like. This…" the devil gestured presenting the sparkling ballroom. "…is nothing compared to what you deserve. Did you get any of it then?"

"The next stage of your journey" the fiend continued leaving the obvious question unanswered. "From the depths of Irenicus' dungeon, without as much as weapon, you got free. Whatever and whoever you stood in a way of your goal – rescuing Imoen – you conquered. You killed Irenicus the Mad, monster the elves created and rescued their precious Suldanessellar. Were you anybody else, you would be prized as a hero, your name to be celebrated for a thousand years, long even among the elves, but tell me, do you think it will happen? Do you think you will remain a savior in their memory for even a decade? No, you will stop being the hero the moment your good elves learn about your heritage. And they will learn. From your evereskan friend for example. You will be escorted to the city gates the moment they find out."

"Assuming I will return to the living." Daria interrupted, putting down the fork and knife.

The devil smiled again, the same tight-lipped smile. He leaned towards her slightly. "The tears are the key" he whispered. Then he straightened as if he just gave up the greatest secret and had to pretend nothing happened.

"Your gods do not rule with justice, they rule with chaos of their whims. Their prophecies can doom you or save you, depending on their mood and surely there aren't many 'Chosen' who lived long enough to have children and see them grow. And the mortals play along, out-casting those who have the strength to stand up for themselves, who do not dance like puppets to the songs of immortal. This has nothing to do with justice. No, this is our creation.

The devils obey the stronger, rival their equals and use the weaker. Were you a devil you'd be a powerful one, you would truly wield the power gained. Either to do evil or good, mercilessly or with compassion – your choice. Your power. This is just and true."

The vases were covered now that she finished eating and the serviette was removed. He led her back to the gate, handing her back the cloak, now perfectly clean. Then he knelt on one of his opposite-bent knees.

"As I am now I offer myself to you, daughter of dead Bhaal. Here in this dark place you need every tool you can and I will strive to be your best. Wield my strength, my life like a weapon. I will fulfill your every wish. Your strength and ambition are greater than mine – this is the purpose of my existence."

"I can't order anyone like that. I can't decide your fate from you" she answered, certain. That was it for the promise that it wasn't another test.

"Of course you can. You have done it before, with your previous tools. Those weren't brought here so you need new ones."

"Those were not my tools" she answered calmly. If the devil was trying to anger her that he was up for a disappointment. "Those were my friends. And I do not order them like that. They have their own will."

"No, they don't." The devil stood up and smiled, this time the pointed teeth, looking more like a hundred of needles pinned into his mouth, made it more a vicious grin. "They aren't even aware of your manipulations."

"I won't let you manipulate me."

The devil didn't falter. He began to circle her, pretending to straighten the cloak on her shoulders. His fingernails were rustling on the fabric. Somehow she knew that he couldn't hurt her, even if he wanted to, all from the twisted gentleness and care in this sound.

"What did your 'friend' – the knight, want after learning his sister's murder? If he would take his revenge or if he would become a knight – was that his decision? You learned your enchanting friend's future as well, didn't you? In the Trademeet grove. He will be happy with a person he will truly love and live happily ever after, so on and so soon. What was your first thought after you saw this vision? Was it 'I should tell him, make him happy'? Or was it 'how can I change it and take him for myself?'"

"Those… those were…"

"There are thousand little times you played the role of a god in their lives. I'm not speaking about warning them about a brick that is about to fall on their head. I speak about the countless times you altered their fate so that they could be more useful to you. Creating the happy knight you needed to protect you. An enchanter with no goal in life that could as well follow you. Meddling into their lives."

"I only did what I thought was best."

"That's precisely what you did. What you thought best. What anyone else thinks didn't even cross your mind. You have the power and thus the right to choose. It's only natural and the only one who isn't accepting this is you, because of some false upbringing."

"I… It wasn't…"

"I was exactly like that. And let us do this properly now that we discussed this. I hope you have no problem with the fact that I'm not as oblivious as the mortals?" The graceful devil kneeled on one knee again and smiled subserviently. "Do you accept me as your tool? Will you decide my fate?"

Again he was before her waiting for an answer. For a moment she wanted to tear put his eyes for looking at her like that, so… servile.

"No… I won't. And I won't accept anyone else's fate again. I'm going to…"

"What tell them every little shred of information you possess? Make them decide every single detail of your vision?"

"Yes." That was exactly what she was going to do. After apologizing. And telling them everything. Especially Xan. After so many words, this many more were left unsaid…

"No pride then? Pity." The devil stood up. Daria was teeth falling out of his mouth, but he quickly covered it with his neatly nailed hand. On his other palm a gray tear-shaped stone appeared, very alike to the one she found in the Fear's chambers. The devil gave her one last fluent bow handling her the stone and melted into the hells with the rest of the ball room. The second giant gate closed behind her.

"Help!" A croaky voice called her from behind the third gate. "Help me!"


	56. The Third Gate

„**The Third Gate"**

The view was peculiar. Maybe slightly grotesque in its chaotic way and definitely frightening, but too close to one of the few murderous fantasies she ever had to truly terrify. Like a scene from a dream shown to someone wide awake it inspired much more puzzlement than horror.

The centerpiece of the tangled construct tried flapping his hands to break free from his bounds. When it wielded no visible effect he turned to her.

"You, wench! What are you staring at? Gather what's left of your lousy wit and get me out of here!" Jeb shrieked at her once again trying to untangle himself to emphasize his situation, not that she could miss this mess.

Jeb, one of the most irritating, annoying and infuriating people she have ever met, was now stuck inside a mechanism that would feel at home in the heart of her sphere in Athkatla. It was the size of a cottage, bottom half made of rapidly shifting dials and gizmos, the biggest of which could easily crush an adult human skull to bloody dust. The top consisted of wires, most sparkling with electricity, other in different colors serving unknown purpose, all meeting at a base of an antennae growing like a tree from the colorful and noisy construction. Just by looking at the tangle of wires Daria could tell that each conducted enough electricity to fry Jeb before she could say 'Stay still!'. The Umar Hills' villager was tangled with at least three different colors, luckily dull and seemingly not working, his feet less than two feet over the dangerous wheels and gears. It looked as if he purposefully tried to get tangled even more with the mechanism. The only reason he was still alive was also the strangest thing about the construct – a lightly buzzing magical barrier surrounding the man in a round protective sphere. The wires that were entering the sphere and held Jeb were losing its color instantly – apparently it was some sort of a safety device that protected anyone foolish enough to mess with the machine.

"How did you get inside this thing?" Daria called trying to reach through the noise of the clog-wheels.

"None of your business! Get me out!" The answer came with no help. Obviously there had to be some switch, otherwise it would be impossible for him to even get there, wouldn't it?

"Don't move!" she screamed seeing as he gathered strength to continue tossing around. If he somehow managed to free himself from the protective spell he would be crisped.

'Control panel, control panel…' she started circling the device trying to find something at least remotely familiar. She knew a little about operating such devices, but all of it was self taught from her wanderings in her new home. But unless she found some panel there was nothing she could do.

"Hurry, witch! If it wasn't for you I wouldn't even be here! It's always us, the decent folk, that have to suffer because of scum like you!"

That was very likely true, though she could find no reason why Jeb was here with her, though he clearly deserved hell. She saw him die, they buried him in the woods, so it had to be his soul that was brought here. But she was alive. She had to be. The taint was supposed to consume her the moment she died, wasn't it? So she couldn't be dead.

"Don't touch that, freak!" Jeb's shriek brought her back to present and she realized she stumbled upon something promising. It was a console of sorts, though sparks dancing around a large crack in the middle weren't very promising.

"I already fixed it, without your help!" Jeb proclaimed proudly. Daria fought an urge to strangle him. Or better – leave him there to rot. That was until she saw what the annoying villager used to throw at the console. A beautiful blue gem with one universal purpose even she knew – gathering excess energy so that there would be no danger of explosion or damaging the device while turning it off. Now she felt the need to cry.

'Why do they always destroy the console? Why? It never works. It has no way of working. No matter how you do it, it won't work!"

"HEY! Wench! If you have time to space out get the other one!"

The other one? Looking closer Daria noticed a smaller panel nearby, so far not 'fixed' with any essential part of the machine. Translating the runes on it she decided that even if it isn't an emergency shutdown panel the situation couldn't become much worse. Now the only problem was the focusing gem smashed into the main panel. Now it were three pieces of focusing gem, thrown away from its location near antennae, and unfortunately Jeb. Daria had no idea how to fix it – without it all the energies already shooting wildly from the wires instead of being stored calmly and safely, would tear the machine and both people near to pieces. While getting rid of Jeb didn't seem such a terrible idea Daria decided to try another way.

First she took her spell book and spent half an hour preparing every spell protecting from elements she knew. It was hard to focus under constant rain of Jeb's curses, but she treated it as a challenge and besides, he had no more removable pieces of machinery near him. She spent some time gently gauging the strength of barrier surrounding Jeb. It was as she though – it couldn't possibly withstand the explosion. But if the Daria could somehow channel excess of the energy somewhere else – say, at a heavily fortified mage like herself, it would hold until the last of the gear stopped, leaving Jeb only with danger of damaging his cursing mouth while falling from loose wires.

First try when all the shields were in place was a success. Bright wire she touched sent a slight shiver through her spells but didn't break through. Good. School of Alteration wasn't one she was best at, but she still had a few aces up her sleeve. Now the real test. Her left hand hung over one of the cables stemming directly, right one over what was hopefully an emergency shutdown button. She considered saying a prayer, but she was in hell. Usually by that time it was too late for prayers.

'Why do you do this?' the questioning voice was her own, but it felt as if a stranger was asking her. 'Why?' after all this planning and studying only now she actually considered the question. 'I'm risking my life for someone who wholeheartedly annoys me. It's not even that I don't wish him starving or other cruel death inside this machine. I could leave him, or grant him merciful death – whatever I consider to be humane. Was I raised like that? Does this make any sense at all?'

'No, now is not the time.' Daria shook those thoughts off though the discomfort remained.

"Get ready! I'm turning it off!" she called the source of her problems for the moment.

"Go to hell!" Jeb answered murkily. Being ignored for so long didn't do wonders to his manners.

'Too late for that' she thought pressing the button and simultaneously thrusting her dagger into the cable.

The flash of her magic shields melting before her eyes in a rainbow of colors blinded her instantly. All the energies that powered up the construction and stemmed originally from the blue crystal were now coursing through the rapidly shrinking shields. She made a mistake. The shutdown would last at least five seconds. Her spells could give her half of that time.

In an instant she knew.

The shock would kill her.

Or Jeb.

She hated him.

She needed to let go of the wire.

She _wanted_ to let go of the wire.

To save herself.

Her hand wouldn't let go.

The blast sent her flying backwards. She something very hard hitting her back. Everything was whirling in her eyes. The air smelled foul. Like burnt flesh. Blackness was coming. Footsteps. Someone run past her without stopping. That bastard Jeb left her here.

"You never let me take care of you. You, the most important person in the entire world."

Daria's eyelids fluttered open as she heard a pleasant voice whispering just by her ear. Warmth was surrounding her, soft, pleasant warmth of a living body. 'Mother?' a though appeared an got lost in this confused awakening without being properly registered. The elf shook up the remains of what felt like an unpleasant dream and found herself in woman's embrace, once again in hell.

"Always overdoing things, either as a hero of the land, or the villain guilty of every sin." An understanding smile appeared on a white flawless face of the woman holding her. From her back a pair of magnificent wings grew to surround them both, becoming darker along their length, completely black at the ends of longest feathers. Daria read of such creatures.

"Let me take care of you, hmm?" Erinya placed a gray tear in her hands. "Who knows better than you what you want? What you deserve? It would do you better to be more Selfish. With this words she left, leaving Daria outside the now closed third gate.


	57. Tears of Bhaal

„**Tears of Bhaal"**

The scenery of the fourth realm of her personal hell was at its best just strange compared to the first. Bleak grayish walls with no defined shape gave her no hint as to what she should be expecting. The only feature making it clear it wasn't a cave somewhere dank were eyeballs growing from the floor on twisted stems like some bizarre plants, staring at her with curiosity untainted with any other emotion bare eyeballs could project. All this placed felt like taken from someone else's mind.

Something she recognized finally emerged from the shadows, a familiar shape in an unfamiliar place. Clad in a spiked armor that remedied her so much of the Slayer, a man stepped before her, a soul hidden in the shape of taint. A man who for the most of this life strived to hear the voice of his father, to become him, an failed. A man she killed.

"Sarevok."

Daria remembered that moment they clashed for what seemed the last time - two seconds of clarity, the purest clairvoyance she has ever achieved. One thought – he was standing before her, battle still raging, his breath heavy. He was wounded, but so was she. This was the moment that she would have to stand against him – there was no more hiding, no more plots, no more gathering courage or chases. They were going to fight now and there would be death.

One thought propelled her forward. She opened her eyes like she never opened them before or since. She saw time flowing around them.

She knew when Sarevok would lift his great sword, where he would place his foot for balance, she knew how to dodge. She knew where his armor was shattered and its enchantment weakened, she knew the exact type of spell that would break through. She knew how much of her magic would take to stop his heart.

Bending under a horizontal slash of the Sword of Chaos like if it was the single movement she was training for years she made a step forward and lightly pressed her palms to his wounded side, softly chanting one verse needed to activate the spell. As if it was so obviously simple it had to be done she released the spell straight into his body.

His blood poured from the reopened wounds on her robes and skin as his muscles danced to the last rhythm of the electricity she released. Her half-brother died with sword in his hands.

And now he stood before her. And she did not remember what that thought was.

"Here you are at last. I was waiting" Sarevok greeted her with the same voice that gave her the first real nightmares in her life. He was no helpless illusion.

She wasn't helpless either. Not anymore.

"What are you doing here?" Daria asked, not bothering to hide hostility. He invaded her hell, it was unlikely that he did it to help. And considering it further – shouldn't he already become the taint, a part of their father?

"What am I doing here? Sister, you devoured me, I thought it was obvious?" The spiky figure laughed. "The strong devour the weak and thrive upon their death and so the powerful of the Children devour those weaker than them to gain their essence. Just as I tried to devour you. As you devoured me."

"Lies!" Obviously he was spouting nonsense. He was the one who said that the taint of the Children returns to the source after their death! "I wanted nothing to do with you! I did nothing!"

"If it wasn't true, I wouldn't be here, fool. Every time you kill another Bhaalspawn your taint becomes stronger, that much you must know" Sarevok sounded impatient because her ignorance. "It always was. No one cares if you're the attacker, or just defending yourself. This is the way Our father chose to find his successor, the new God of Murder. In the end you can either ascend or die. 'One will raise above others', remember, sister?"

"Shut up." Alaundo. Sarevok's words were making her angry because she knew them so well. Gorion taught her the prophecies and they left her little hope. She knew there had to be some way out, a loophole, something she forgot. Feeling all this powerless rage she began to realize which part if her mind Sarevok represented.

"It must be truly humiliating for you to be 'labeled' as my anger" Daria turned her rage at her half-brother. She could do something about _him_. "Does that offend you? A warrior like you representing the feeling of helplessness towards the great powers of this world… Are you going to throw curses at me or do I have to crush you? I did it already so it should be easy."

"I can swallow my bitter defeat, sister, and all that comes with it." Daria could swear that bastard was smiling. "I have sweet memories to keep me company in this bleak realm of yours. My sword plunging into this fool's, Gorion's chest…"

"How dare you say Gorion's name!" her voice balance on the verge of Slayer's roar, almost becoming incoherent. Sarevok's face was unreadable under the helmet.

"So you became the Slayer. Ironic. A whelp like you becoming an avatar by accident, whereas I could not." The dark humor in Sarevok's voice was unmistakable. He was laughing at her, even from behind his grave.

Daria was sick of his ramblings. He and Irenicus – they were the same. Messing with powers they didn't comprehend, playing with darkness deeper and older than anything they knew. She wanted none of it, from the beginning all she wanted was to be left in peace. She could have lived in Candlekeep her entire live and be happy. And now he had the nerve to humiliate her, to laugh at Gorion! She wanted to show him how much of a whelp she was. What he was trying to attain. Bloody paint began to spread masterpieces before her eyes as the Slayer stirred in the depths of her heart.

"I see you did learn something about anger, since the day you died." Sarevok had no intention to stop.

"You have no idea…" she replied in hoarse voice.

"Then show me, sister. Free your anger, become more powerful than you ever was. I can teach you how." The hardening skin on her forearms didn't even make the ghostly warrior pause. The gold hue in her eyes was only making him seem more alive.

"You? Teach… me?" Words were barely coming together in her mind. "What could you possibly… teach me? How to be defeated… by a sheltered… orphan? I don't want your help!" Voice was coming out all wrong. And the longer she spoke the more she realized that speaking isn't what she wanted to do. She wanted to kill him.

"But your already accepting it. The dark secrets I whisper into your ear…"

"NO!" Her shape began to change as the Slayer was taking over. No protests or attempts of calming down could force the anger back into her control. She wanted Sarevok dead, torn to pieces and part of her didn't care of the consequences. It wouldn't matter. The Sun would rise on the east horizon, the rain would continue to fall and there would be one murderer less. And one more. The world would carry on. That's why she had every right to tear his bloody heart from Sarevok's chest.

She was losing this fight.

"Come, thing of how I slaughtered your precious Gorion, how I bathed Candlekeep in blood!"

Daria bit her lip, but pain couldn't stop memories appearing in her head. How bad would it be to kill this monster? How many monsters had she killed already? Why would this one make a difference? Because she would change? Because she was already changing?

Her fingers were talons, her skin became scales and her mind fell into the sea of chaos. There was no more control. 'Whatever happens…'

'Whatever happens I have no regrets.'

That was the thought. Later, when the adrenaline wore off and Sarevok became nothing but dust and bad memories, she couldn't remember what she thought facing him in the forgotten temple. She remembered it was something simple and that she never saw so clearly, but that was it. Imoen told her that she was amazing, she moved as if she knew everything Sarevok could do. But how she did it? It felt like a ray of light seen by someone that was born blind. And now that she saw him again, and once again they fought, she recalled it.

Xan was going back to Evereska and she couldn't follow. Most likely they would never meet again. This was the last thing Kivan decided to do in this world. Her past was no longer a mystery – her parents weren't royalty or peasants, and they would never return to tell her they loved her. Gorion was dead.

All those things happened or would happen and yet somehow then, for a moment she felt no regrets. As it the world was flowing and she found her place in it. This was what she should have remembered , instead of months of tortures and ancient drow spells.

The anger left her. She looked at Sarevok and saw only a shadow of her once terrible half-brother. This ghost could do nothing but try to provoke her. He wasn't a monster anymore, not a murdered, not a danger. He was nothing. As her form began to return to normal she saw a familiar golden light appearing in his eyes – the only part of his face she could see the first time they met in the woods near Candlekeep. Daria took a step forward and Sarevok unsheathed the Sword of Chaos. With her second step he lifted the heavy weapon for the strongest slash he could manage. With the third and last step he brought the blade down on her head. It came straight through her without doing any damage, as if he was but a mirror image. Daria didn't even flinch looking at her brother with calm silver eyes.

"Curse you!" he managed to spat out before turning into mist.

"Farewell, Sarevok." The fourth Tear formed on Daria's palm.

She considered long before crossing the fifth gate. Taming her rage exhausted her both mentally and physically, and the hells weren't getting any easier to bear. Because of the heat her body was sticky with sweat and her head felt as if it was full of whirling white lights. She needed rest and badly.

But behind this doors could be her path to freedom, a way to escape this place. There could be a place where she could ease her tiredness and find respite from the heat without watching for danger. Be it Heaven or Oblivion it certainly couldn't be worse. At this point anything would be a step towards better. Even if it would be the last step she would ever make.

The stone stairs lead her much lower this time, but on the good side, the air became slightly cooler. Walking deeper underground Daria considered if this had any metaphorical meaning. So far this place was mirroring her mind and what haunted it, were certainly her demons. The stones she gathered, the Tears as Pride called them were supposed to be her way out, but were they exactly? What was behind the giant gate guarded by eyes? It would be far too easy if it were but a portal leading her out.

So many questions and no one to ask. She was too tired and overheated right now to think it through properly. Daria stepped inside the fifth chamber.

For a moment she didn't believe he was there.

"Xan!" He was there, just standing, could it be? Was it an illusion or some fiend in disguise? No, it had to be him. Daria half-stepped half-run into his embrace. It wasn't exactly what she should do, in any other place it would be far more awkward, but it was Hell and he was the first friendly face she saw here.

The one she was so relieved to see didn't look as happy. The moment she touched his shoulder Xan stepped back rapidly, looking around. Daria almost fell losing her balance and couldn't help the look of hurt she sent the elven mage. He did not meet her eyes. He didn't seem to be aware that she was there at all, even as she stood up just few steps from him.

"Xan?" No recognition, not even a sign of reaction on his face.

"Hehehe" a ghastly giggle echoed in the grey chamber signaling the appearance of yet another fiend. Looking above Daria saw it soaring down from the ceiling made of dark thunderclouds. She could swearfor a second she saw yet another face higher up, but that could have just as well been her imagination.

"No, no, no" the fiend chided her as if she'd been a stubborn youth insisting to buy another dress. Daria couldn't decide whether this one was male or female. "Just like that? You can't do it! So simple…" It grabbed the enchanter's arm and pulled him closer to Daria. For once there was some reaction. First confusion, but as his eyes centered at the demon Xan let out a sigh, his expression changing to that of disappointment. Daria could almost feel his thoughts – that was the company he expected her to drag him into.

"Xan, I'm here, can you hear me?" she tried again, ignoring the melting feeling of being a letdown.

"I tell you, it doesn't work this way. It's Hell!" the fiend giggled again, grabbing Daria's arm this time. Only then she actually looked at it. It was the closest she ever saw an infernal – not even a sword's length and that meant much too close for comfort. This one had two horns on its head and a third one growing from its chin. Its maw was sharp edged, rectangular, and its teeth were too big to be hidden under a lip. Its skin was covered by what could be tiny scales as well as very rough red skin. Glowing yellow eyes were hidden in shadows of bushy eyebrows. For some mysterious reason the fiend smelled with moss.

"It's Hell, mistress" it clapped its maw, too close for Daria's liking. "You two cannot communicate that simply."

"Why would it matter? I just talked with Sarevok, and earlier with Jeb!"

"Mistress, calm down" the monster's face did nothing to help his cause. In the corner of her eye Daria saw Xan's silhouette turning paler. Instantly she turned to him, but he looked normal. The demon put both its paws on her shoulders. She glared at him and to her surprise it let go instantly and backed away from her.

"Mistress, those were not living creatures, but part of your own soul" it began to explain, somewhat more humble. "Of course you had no trouble communicating with them."

"Sarevok is not part of my soul!" Daria snapped. "And neither is Jeb."

"They are… let's say they are your memories?" it added quickly as her glare sharpened. It offered a servile smile using two rows of sharp teeth. "This one… it's a living soul and one not at all in tune with this place. He probably can't see much more than fog, hear more than noise."

"What do I do then? How can I make him see me?" This couldn't be. Her friend was standing at an arm's length and yet there was nothing she could do to make him hear her. Just her luck.

"Hmmm…" the beast stroked the horn on its chin. "Souls communicate by building an understanding, getting to know each other. In here it would be like learning another language, more, to see the world as the other person sees it, with all his experience. Even though you two were comrades in arms it wouldn't work that fast. We don't have that much time."

"What's the hurry?" She wanted to get out as fast as possible because of the heat and the evil feel of the air, but that couldn't be what that demon meant.

"Don't you feel it, mistress? The other one is coming" the demon whispered as if it was afraid the very walls would hear him and carry on his voice.

"The other one?" A chill traveled a familiar path down Daria's spine.

"He, who has a part of your soul and a part of your power. He travels within himself and soon he will come to challenge you. We must hurry if we are to gather your allies. There is only one way. The stone tears hidden in this realm. You must find them. That's your only chance."

"I have these…" she took out one of the tears she earned on her trials.

"Yes! Perfect!" the fiend squealed, pulling the elf closer to her. Xan only seemed more confused. He summoned a stone skin to cover himself.

"What do I do now?" Daria felt Xan's breath, so close he stood. She could feel the familiar smell, the one that used to rob her of all her will to resist. And yet he seemed to not hear even a world of the conversation.

"Press the stone to his skin and call him. Follow your instincts,"

A vague instruction at best. And she made a habit of not listening to what her instincts told her.

"What will happen?" Daria asked, already suspecting that she wouldn't like the answer.

"We don't have the time for details" came the evasive answer.

"What will happen?" she put some pressure to the question. So far the demon seemed to fear her.

"Eh…" the demon sighed avoiding her eyes. "You will absorb… part of him. This will create a link between you two and allow you to communicate. It will… bind him to you." A pause – a lie.

"So you're telling me I will bind his spirit to me? I will make him a slave?"

"No! Well… In a way, yes. That's one way of putting this. But it will not harm him in any way" the demon explained as if it made everything better. "Think of it as falling in love – you will be bound together and he won't want to leave you."

"Forget it" Daria had no idea which one of her flaws was this demon supposed to represent, but it was very likely it was stupidity. There was no way she would agree to enslave any being, not to mention one of her closest friends. She had to get out of here and somehow take Xan with her. He wouldn't move when she tried to pull him.

"Don't be ridiculous, mistress. You have no choice. If you leave him here he'll die. If you stay here together the other one will come to get you." The demon tried the same trick that always annoyed her – obvious logic. "I'm sorry, but my greatest concern is your safety. He doesn't have Bhaal's blood in his veins! Unless you bind him to your soul he cannot talk, or see, or hear!"

"I can see him" she cut it off.

"Only because… you watched him for so long, mistress." The demon tried to shrink under her angry stare. "This is your connection – you watch him. No words, no understanding. But you remember his every expression, every gesture. It's… not enough. You need allies if you are to face the other one."

"No, there has to be another way. I will not tolerate this."

"Mistress, why are you really objecting?"

"Because it's wrong!" The demon was asking stupid questions. But it was a demon it was supposed to lead people to evil, to twist words and cloud the truth.

"Is it wrong to save his life and soul?" And again, facts. Truths that didn't make anything right. The demon was clearly afraid of her anger, but not enough to just leave her alone to figure something out. "You were taught to scorn slavery, my mistress, but this is just a cold law that may have so many aspects in the living world. It always should change, mistress. Think about it – is your friend happy?"

"More than he would be as a slave!" This whole argument was ridiculous. She needed to find some real way to get Xan out of here.

"Stop with the sarcasm, mistress. I'm trying to help in the boundaries of what's possible. He-" the demon put its paw on enchanters shoulder. "-cares for you more than a friend would. And yet he will abandon you, leave you to your fate and come back to his homeland. This way he will hurt both of you. He won't be happy and yet what he considers duty will stop him from following his heart. He will die, my mistress, alone, somewhere far way. Is this truly a better way?"

"No, but…" this was what would happen, her heart told her so. Xan was powerful, and yet ever time he turned down an offer of help he risked his own life. Without them, without her… She feared for his safety. "…his spirit…" she couldn't leave him here either. This was not a place for either of them.

"Do not listen to old wives tales, it's nothing remotely as terrible as they say. Your spirit was torn to be of use to another, nothing of a sorts will happen to him. The effect won't be stronger than a love-sickness."

"And if I die?" Daria hated herself for asking this question. It made her sound as if she agreed for the demon's plan.

"I'm sorry, mistress, but our soul shall not prevail after your death, because of your heritage. All that's tied to it shall be freed." The answer she would want to hear. And yet there was one thing she saw that wouldn't let her do it. She felt tears gathering in her eyes. She didn't like remembering it.

"You will make him happier this way, mistress" the demon continued its useless debate. But it was decided already. He wasn't hers.

"I won't…" her lip began to quiver. She hated feeling weak.

"But mistress!" the demon didn't give up. Another logical argument was cominu.

"I said no!" Just an hour ago she was learning to control her anger and now she was losing it again. One step forward and two backward. "There is someone else for him!" A vision she saw at the druid's grove near Trademeet was what should happen, what she wanted to happen. She wanted for Xan to be as happy as she saw him and if she couldn't make it happen, even if it was all of her father's fault, there was nothing she could do about it. She wanted his happiness even though it broke her heart to just think about it. "This is my decision! I will protect him and lead him out, and not even Bhaal can stop me from doing it!" She caught Xan's hand turning to leave, but it felt strange – cold and hard in touch. Daria turned to look at him and saw a fifth tear materializing in her hand.

"To overcome the desire for one thing you want the most…" the demon was smiling. And then she understood. It all was another lie, another test of this realm, not a way out. "You truly are the mistress to command Greed."

The five eyes surrounding the last portal in this realm centered their glares on her as if suspecting that now she possessed the means to close them. On the other side Daria sensed the other half of her spirit waiting. The battle was inevitable.

With almost unnoticeable shift of the atmosphere five demons she tamed appeared around her. The mad Fear, elegant pride, beautiful Selfishness, suppressed Anger and childish Greed were to fight on her side, for their mistress, but they weren't who she wanted by her side.

By her side she wanted… stern and reliable Jaheira, her true healer. Minsc, a steady rock she could always lean on for support. A piece of her mind in Gooseberry, her familiar, making her proud of being bound to a sewer rat. To hear Xan sigh once more, to make him smile. One last prank with Imoen before Valygar completely occupies her mind.

She wanted to fee the small weight of a necklace with a single black pearl around her neck, the only memento of a man who led her from a very dark place, but even that was gone. The fiends were the only ones here, chained to this place as much as she was.

The first tear she wanted to open the door with waited calmly on her palm. None of the demons told her what they were exactly and this might be the last chance to find out. Knowing little what to expect she closed her hand around it and focused. A memory of the first time she tried to divine the object's past under Xan's watchful gaze came to her mind.

It was the same place, only it seemed smaller, mainly because of a man that had to be at least five times her size sitting on an equally impressive throne made of bones, placed in the middle of the sphere. The realm she remembered was grey and bleak – this was glowing with green light, coursing like blood in veins along the walls and the white throne. The giant was resting his forehead on his bloodied hands, as if deep in thought, and she couldn't see his face. By his feet a tiny in comparison imp was busying around, oblivious to his master's mood. Every now and then fat drops of blood were falling around the imp from the giants hands.

That was as much as Daria could see, but she was certain she was watching Bhaal, God of Murder, her father. He was not a mortal oblivious to her scrutiny however and the moment she tried to focus to distinguish his features he raised his head sharply, angry being caught in a moment of weakness.

His eyes were… familiar. Not the color, but shape, the shade of skin, more human oval of his face. While his every feature was emanating something unearthly there was something undoubtedly human about him. It was a mortal that became a god and thus remembered his time as a human.

A tear drew a single line on otherwise perfect face of a god, a tear very familiar to the stone she held in her hand, the same grey color, yet it looked like it was nothing but a simple drop of water on his cheek.

Many tears fell because of God of Murder, but what she held was not one of them.

It was a Tear of Bhaal.

Hells returned to her in their current grey form, dead and abandoned. This was the place she inherited.

A.N. Two more chapters to go. Please Review.


	58. Will

A.N. Last chapter. Epilogue – likely tomorrow.

**Will**

„I need your help. Minsc, Imoen, Jaheira, Valygar, Anomen, Gooseberry, …Xan."

This place was her domain, an empty kingdom of Bhaal. She knew why she was here now – her torn spirit shared between her and Irenicus became a link that forced her to die when Irenicus died, and him to go where she would after death. It was a terrible fate – not to be dead nor alive, but it was not to last. This was to be their last battlefield and the victor would gain the only life she and the mad mage now shared.

Daria was here because of a link of soul, but there were other bounds she had and could use to call others. If she were to fight here she wouldn't do it among demons.

The fiends that gathered around her were now gone, banished by her will. The place was empty. And now she called.

Jaheira came to her side first, always the over-protective one, tending to her as to a child making its first steps in the world. The druidess smelled with a thousand or more herbs and Daria wasn't sure if any of them originated from the world they were born in.

"I saw Khalid" Jaheira greeted her with a slightly sad smile that quickly became her usual determined expression. "If you need me, child, I'm here for you."

Imoen appeared just like that, as if she'd been there all the time, inseparable like her sister's shadow. She looked completely the same as always, the good ol' Imoen, until her shilouhette flared with magical energies as she began preparing for the incoming battle.

"Let's give him what he deserves, sis" the mage girl said, her hair like a pink wildfire.

Minsc and Anomen came next, the two protectors, taking their places on her sides. The berserker looked refreshed, even though he must have came a long way from the place where warriors rest after their battles, Boo squeaking on his shoulder. Anomen's armor wasn't simply polished. It was shining as if reflecting the very light that that lit the Watchful God's realm.

"Let's kick some butts!" Minsc shouted unsheathing the squealing gleefully Lilarcor.

Valygar came alone, as befit a man who resented all magic, including the holy one. But there was no dark shadow dragging him down and no unspoken resentment as he approached. Despite hating magic he never disregarded the existence of gods and had his place after death. He stopped by Imoen's side.

"Helping you is not what I want to do after death as well in life, but since I'm here… I mean we're friends" the ranger quickly corrected himself when the pinkhead took a break from casting to step on his foot. "Friends help each other out."

She didn't notice when exactly Xan appeared in her father's domain, but he was there when already when everybody came. He waited patiently until everybody spoke their part before approaching her cautiously.

"I told you I won't leave you" the elf confessed quietly for once looking at her. She saw so much pain in his gaze it almost make her heart stop once more. A familiar presence stirred on the verge of her thoughts.

'Mistress' she heard Gooseberry calling her, the rat in himself appearing on her shoulder in a flash of magic a second later. 'Let me carry some of your tiredness…' At once she felt the heat feeling a little more bearable, her body relaxing.

"Listen, Irenicus is behind this gate…" Daria started explaining before realizing she didn't need to. Those people came to the depths of Abyss for her. No words were needed.

"Open the gate, child" Jaheira gently urged her. "Whatever's behind, we're with you."

The sun elf raised the Tears of Bhaal. Each began to glow, warm in her hands before suddenly splitting into two bright sparks. One of the spark from every tear melted into her skin making her feel as if deep roots began to grow into her flesh and bones, whether making her stronger or weaker she couldn't tell. The other five sparks rushed to the five eyes surrounding the final gate. The eyes closed surrendering the portal .

The mad mage himself stepped from the darkness, his demons behind him. Now he looked even more terrifying than the cold monster he was, her spirit tainted by murder influencing him like her blood changed her. As if half-way changed into the Slayer, most of his skin was covered in red scales, his limbs painfully twisted, but not yet overgrown with black spikes. What was left of his lips was frozen in a smirk since the moment he saw the group accompanying her, not as impressive as demons and devils surrounding him. Daria was not worried. She had her friends with her and even if he'd emptied the hells and Abyss from fiends to build his army, Irenicus was alone.

"We meet once again, Child of Bhaal" Irenicus somehow spoke, his voice unchanged despite his appearance, but not as empty as cold as in the dungeon where she heard it for the first time anymore. "This is the last time, no matter which one of us triumphs, there are no holes left to hide, no places to run."

"You will give back what you have stolen!" Imoen called angrily.

"I will have my revenge!" Jaheira joined her.

"Though I'm getting hoarse from battle-cries fighting this mage: it's time for the righteous butt-kicking!" Boo squeaked to add his part to Minsc's war cry.

"This is the end!" At the madman's command the infernal beasts rushed at them. Only their attack never came. With fury far surpassing one they approached the group of adventurers, demons and devils leaped at each other's throats razing each other's scales and drawing blood.

Daria cast a quick glance at Xan. Enchanter's brow was pearling with sweat from the first second of a battle.

"They're natively hostile… towards each other" he whispered with difficulty, his eyes set on the battlefield. "All they need is a push in the right place."

"For Khalid! For Dynaheir!" Daria waited no longer. Shouting their own battle cries her group fell upon the fighting fiends.

Irenicus' Fear was hovering low on its black leathery wings, its side bleeding from Anger's talons. It's face was familiar, closely resembling the woman Daria saw in her vision touching the Tree of Life. Yet this face was dead, like that of a statue, expressing nothing but contempt.

A vine sprung from the dirt twisting like a whip around one of the creature's ankles, bringing it to crash down on the ground surprisingly earth-like around it, touched by druidic magic. More vines sprouted from the mud and began to grow rapidly dragging the devil down, underground. The beast wailed with last ounce of strength coming from the panic, from what it was – Fear of one person that meant more than any other, a person that could hurt deeper than any weapon. Jaheira kneeled on the ground chanting, last screams of Fear dying out, buried.

Dragon-like Greed circled over the raging battlefield, swiftly dodging Imoen's magic missiles, coming volley after volley. It waited for a chance to strike patiently, as befitted someone with the ambition to attain godhood, to become everything it was destined to be. Sooner or later there would be a chance, a moment when the elves would let down their guard for a long enough moment, when the Bhaalspawn would forget caution for just one night in the wilds, when the drow would get desperate enough to ally themselves with what was once a surface elf. A chance to attack arose when Anger, wounded by Pride, began to trash around wildly, wreaking more destruction in already chaotic battle. It was stopped in its tracks when a berserker stepped in its way, throwing away his sword and catching the fiends giant horns barehanded, but the pink-head was forced to flee, losing Greed from her sight for a second. The foolish girl showed her back to the Greed – a mistake she wouldn't live to regret.

Taking care not to alarm its prey the fiend folded its wings and fell from the sky. A split second before landing behind the unsuspecting mage Greed thrust its paw through girl's back. She didn't even have a chance to yelp, claws of the other paw finding her throat instantly. The rush of a fulfilled hunt was overwhelming… until the victim vanished into thin air.

"Beware illusions" Imoen warned with a smile, a second too late, sinking her shortsword into its back.

Minsc clashed furiously with Anger, his hands closed on each of two giant horns on the demon's head, neither fighter willing to take even one step back. The impasse couldn't last long, but berserker's temper was even quicker to wane.

"Go for the eyes, Boo!" the massive man in full plate armor screamed, entering his berserk rage, head-butting the fiend. The horns of Balduran's enchanted helmet sent sparks in protest clashing with very real demon's horns, hard demon scull remaining undamaged. His armor shrieked in protest when Anger's claws tried to penetrate its magic defense, trying to find a weak spot. He wasn't going to be defeated that easily - it was a powerful emotion, a strong anger, born from one moment. The moment a beloved woman just left, without a goodbye, without anything. It was all his fault, but for there not to be even a single word told, no gesture. All the devotion and caring lost in an instant as if it never existed. No, this anger would not just go away.

"I know, Boo…!" Minsc answered, veins showing on his forehead, unable to overpower the larger beast. "We failed then, but we will not fail again…!"

The fiend climbed tried to use the advantage of height to gain some ground. It towered over the Rashemi feeling his resistance weakening, its maw coming closer and closer to the stubborn enemy who refused to step down. It almost felt it – the victory tasting like blood on its tongue. It opened its maw, unable to wait any more. Anger demanded blood to be shed.

Something sprung from berserker's pack just as it was about to sate this burning demand. Something small and unimportant, that shouldn't have been able to hurt the mighty Anger and yet it did. The demon roared terribly feeling sharp teeth biting into its red eye.

It wanted to shake it off, but the hold of his enemy suddenly wasn't so weak anymore.

"BOO!" the man shouted, the strength of his voice returning, no, doubling. Suddenly the berserker didn't feel that tired, he still had some reserves of strength, he should be ashamed! Boo with his little body was doing better than him! If this continued he would leave to find himself a better ranger!

"NO!" Minsc shouted, his muscled tensing like cords. The demons neck began to twist. "Minsc is with Boo and Boo is with Minsc! There shall be no other way!" The neck snapped, the giant body of a fiend falling limp. The ranger immediately came to pick up his animal companion.

"Oh, Boo, for a moment there Minsc was scared you don't need him to fight with demons." The struggle left its mark however and suddenly Minsc felt the ground nearing.

For a moment Valygar couldn't believe his eyes when he saw Bodhi wreaking havoc among the other fiends. The vampiress was dead, he saw her turning to mist, he knew she was staked and that meant she wouldn't return. And he was right, he realized when the undead beast came closer, evaluating him as a possible victim. While the demon closely resembled madman's sister it wasn't her. Eyes of Selfishness were green and very much alive.

But if it was looking and moving like a vampire then there was good chance that the way it attacked just the same. They all hated vampire's attacks. Being drained by a bloodsucker even a bit left one tired and no amount of rest ever brought respite. Only a priest's blessing could revive this lost strength. Fighting a vampire alone was foolish. He needed to wait for support.

Not far away Minsc snapped Anger's neck and sat on the ground to rest a second, checking if his pet hamster was alright. Valygar cursed seeing that the berserker became the target of the Selfishness, the creature that only did what benefited itself. Knowing that the only thing he could do now was strike without being covered didn't make him very happy.

He thrust his katana into the creature's back, trying at least to act stealthily. It didn't do him mach good, because the creature instantly whipped around and plunged its long teeth into his arm. Dropping the weapon from his weakening arm he drew an enchanted dagger from his belt into his left hand. The creature jumped back instantly, assessing the danger. It would not attack unless it had a high chance of victory. Seeing a bleeding ranger with such a meager weapon certainly qualified because it leapt at him again with predatory smile. Valygar simply lifted up his closed fist and whispered the activation word.

Power of the Ring of the Ram crushed the weakened fiend into the ground.

"Magic, huh?" the ranger glanced at a ring he wore, a gift he almost threw away the moment he received it. Daria certainly had guts to give him something as pricy without being afraid he'd get rid of it. But then again maybe it wasn't all that bad?

The only demon left was Pride, the fiend literally burning with red flames covering it leather wings and talons. So far no one was able to get any closer to it, even other infernals shunned the bright flame. Only Anomen didn't move from its path, the knight's eyes probably used to such bright light. He was praying as if oblivious to the large burning beast marching right at him. A gate opened and something brighter still stepped from it. Something, or someone – bright deva rushed at the stunned demon. The light of her sword quickly putting down the fires of Pride.

With growing fear Irenicus watched his demons falling one by one. For all their clashes and battles for the first time Daria saw on his face something other than determination and hate. He himself didn't fare any better against her. Every spell he summoned she dispelled even before it reached her. Every illusion faded into emptiness. It took less than a wave of hand to waste all his efforts of magic and she knew why. She felt it under her feet, the flow of this place – all the power was gathering around her. This was her domain and no matter how much he stole from her he was the intruder.

"Curse you!" words came between the incantations as he too began to realize what she felt all around her. He tried to summon a storm of meteors to burn everything around him since he couldn't harm her directly, but that also failed when on her call the air froze turning the powerful invocation into a harmless steam high above her head, joining the grey clouds that were the sky of this plane.

"No! You will not have victory! Not a filthy Bhaalspawn!" Having no more way to attack he threw himself at her, Slayer's talons gaining length the moment he gathered up the rage.

Her palms moved to the rhythm of a spell she never used before almost without the use of will. Daria didn't fear that Irenicus would get to her. Instantly before her appeared Anomen, lifting his shield and taking a defensive stance, Minsc running past them to thrust his sword through a deformed half-mortal half-avatar form. Anger flared in pale eyes of the mad mage, but suddenly his arms weren't listening to him paralyzed by a powerful enchantment. He looked with pure hate at a purple-clad mage reciting the verses that held him in place. A step away. The cursed Bhaalspawn was but a step away. It was a step he couldn't take, vines crawling up his scaled ankles, rooting him to the ground. Pink magic blinded him for a second and he felt another blade trying to pierce his back.

"You…" Irenicus choked. He looked at the one before him, the thorn in his side, the puppet he thought he could easily manipulate and hurt. He should have killed the moment he got hold of her in the dungeon…!

Those calm silver eyes. He stared into them knowing that the spell she just finished would end his life, but he had no strength left to curse her. Her friends stepped away from him. He didn't see the sky open above his head.

A Hellball, sphere consisting of every element she could evoke bound together in a silver cage if her will fell on the mage with the force that made this entire world shake in its base. The clouds dispersed at its passage, showing at last the jade green sky and the heat of this realm yielded, frost covering the ground from the epicenter, in a second the entire floor becoming covered with ice. For a moment nothing happened, but then a stream of light surrounded the sun elf, a heavenly light finding its way to this dark realm. Daria felt the wound in her chest closing, the warmth returning – something she didn't feel for so long she almost forgot how it was to be whole. The trembles of the word stopped and peace settled under the green firmament. It was a victory.

Her friends were gone now, hopefully waking up somewhere safe in the living word, but she felt something yet unfinished here, in this twisted realm.

The white feather she found when entering Bhaal's domain was now glowing gently in her backpack, it's light sinking through the material. The moment she took it into her hand Daria felt a warm overwhelming presence – closeness of its owner.

An angel dressed in color of a setting sun landed gently before the elf, her magnificent wings glowing with the light of last moments of a day, her skin dark blue as the dusk. It was her face Daria caught a glimpse of during her trials. She had one more judge.

"Why did you come to the Abyss, angel?" Daria addressed her directly. She was worn out, just too tired for any more tests or games. She couldn't take even one more riddle.

"I am here because of you." Angel's voice carried a distance to it, even though it was spoken so close. Daria knew what it meant. Before her stood just a messenger and truth to be told, the message was no surprise. She was the cause this hell existed. One of many causes.

"You are a child of a god and yet the gods cannot interfere with your fate" the angel continued. Her face was gentle and yet her words weren't pleasant. Daria felt as if she was born into the word opposing such beautiful creatures. "Your choice is your own – that is the sacred law – the decision of the Hidden One. Yet your will was taken away, it was split and the gods intervened. Rillifane Rallathil, Labelas Enoreth… Cyric. I am here to make amends and still – I can do nothing. This is the law. I offer something neutral – knowledge. Know that here, with your soul united your power rivals an immortal. In here you can make a choice and this choice will become a truth."

Daria looked into the bright eyes of an angel trying to decipher any deception they could hide. Her hand slowly wandered to the black pearl on her necklace.

"A choice only for yourself, Godchild. You do not hold power over other's fate more than any mortal. As long as the blood of Bhaal courses through your veins you can choose where to direct your power.

Daria looked once more at the realm she inherited. The adrenaline of the battle wore off and the familiar weakness settled in her muscles. That seemed to be the only thing she gained after struggling with Irenicus for so long – tiredness. From the beginning it was a defensive war – she was struggling not to lose the things important to her and there were fewer of those every day. In the end she won, but why did it felt so much like a loss? Could she tell Khalid and Dynaheir that she won? Could she look Imoen in the eye and say that she was glad that they went through that all? She would lose more, in time she would lose it all. All her friends, every place she would name her own, her very spirit was just one more thing she could lose. She almost lost herself. In the end all would be better if her friends were able to go their own ways. Anomen, Valygar, Minsc… Even Xan. They had places they could return to, destinies to fulfill. It wasn't too late. She didn't steal all of their future just yet.

Facing the angel once more she smiled. It felt like a long time since she did that last.

"I want to be free" she said.


	59. Story without an Ending

„**Story without an Ending"**

The two months that came after Exile's assault were a difficult time. Time spent tending to the bleeding wounds and cries of despair, clearing the ruins of once immaculately beautiful city. But even though the constant struggle was tiring and wretched many hearts, it also brought some relief. The sacred presence of Seldarine returned to the temple desecrated by the drow after a long time of cleansing the taint brought from the pits of godforsaken Underdark. The grounds of the sanctuary beneath Suldanessellar were once again teaming with life, filled with bird songs and whispers of the trees. Only now, after two months, one could see that the elven city has been saved.

Alveola prayed in her chamber, thanking Rillifane for this miracle, the same prayer she was sending to her patron every morning since his holy light returned to the temple. When her morning prayers were complete she washed her face and changed a loose nightgown for a ceremonial robe of a priestess she wore while performing her duties, the symbol of the Oak Father embedded skillfully in a fabric on her chest. Her hair she braided carefully into her usual hairstyle, weaving few eagle feathers into the plain braid to liven up the dark blond tone of her locks she couldn't help but always consider dull and uninteresting. Each of these actions she performed with care and as slowly as she could. Today she had clerical duties to attend to.

The duties she would gladly avoid, even though it was the Highpriestess herself that bestowed this task upon her. Her own judgment wasn't enough to overshadow her trust in the Highpriestess, a wise and experienced woman, but she couldn't help what she felt. Keeping a Bhaalspawn alive was something she should not by any means be comfortable with. But even such heavy doubts did not affect the healing blessings sent to her by the Seldarine and all she could do was to have faith in the holy patrons.

It was unnatural. Each time the air felt uneasy in the close proximity of the Bhaalspawn, as if it was denser and much darker. From the outside the woman looked just as any other sun elf, no recognizable trait linking her to her sire. All in her appeared natural, normal – the light brown tone of a well tanned skin, the chestnut hair in natural curls, the eyes, always closed, did not glow demonic red. Perhaps that was precisely the dead deity's intention – to let his spawn disappear among the good folk so no one would be able to discern their presence until it was too late… Or it could be the image of its unfortunate mother, a woman cursed with the fate that crossed her path with the fallen god. No matter of the cause it was blasphemous for an elven body, created from Corellon's blood, to bear such a dark taint. For Alveola the very thought was revolting. Even if it was the truth that the city still stood because the Bhaalspawn took part in the struggle, it didn't mean there was no sinister motive behind its actions.

The priestess took her medicine kit and left her chamber. No matter how much she wished to dwindle that was her duty.

And then there was him. She knew he would be there, sitting by the Bhaalspawn's side, no matter how early she got up to attend to it, or how much she stalled from doing what she had to. From what she gathered he was one of its companions during the struggles against the pair of Exiles, a true hero of the elves – a Moonblade wielder from Evereska. He was sitting by her side every morning from the first day Alveola took over the duty ten days ago and probably long before that, when other priests were performing the unpleasant chore. Each day he was waiting for someone to check up on its condition and to hear that it remains unchanged.

And so was today. Alveola entered quietly as always, yet his pale impassive face immediately turned to her. Then he stood up from his chair and walked out without saying another word, to wait outside until she was done. The first time she tried to talk to him, asking about the weather, a topic she thought was always acceptable, but he never responded with more than a single word. Today she only let her yellow eyes follow him until the doors closed behind him. She would have thought that it was a sad romantic story of unfulfilled love, but first – she was a hopeless dreamer like her little brother, a bard, sniffing up romance practically everywhere. And second – the moon elf always kept a careful distance between him and the spawn of Bhaal, never touching her skin for even a briefest moment, not even moving too close, his face was always the same stone mask. It was more likely that he was sent by the evereskan Council to keep an eye out for the elf-shaped Bhaalspawn. She admired his conviction to duty. They had that much in common.

The gray-colored eye didn't react to light when she lifted up its eyelid, already used to the slight revulsion she felt while touching it. The body was limp, no reactions, breathing was stable if shallow. It appeared as if a woman was asleep continuously for two months. If what her companions said about her being a diviner was true, then her mind's link with this body was broken and she would never come back from wherever she was, dreaming. Alveola tried to tell this to the other healer taking care of the Bhaalspawn, a half-elven druidess, but the woman didn't seem to be able to understand what it meant. 'I have faith in her', was all that she said, as if it was up for the strong conviction to restore what no longer existed.

Rillifane's priestess began chanting the spell she cast many times already, to prolong the life of this shell of demigoddess. And at the same time she hoped it would never wake up. Because if it woke one day, every life it would take, all the destruction and chaos it would bring, would weight on Alveola's conscience as well. The only thing that helped her carrying those deeds and thoughts was her faith. Seldarine were the hand that guided her and her Kin and they would not make a meaningless decision.

After all, some things were just meant to be.

_End of Part II_

A.N. This is the end of the story of Daria the Bhaalspawn. I hoped you liked it. I'm not well versed with the etiquette of writing a fan-fiction, but I think thanking my reviewers is socially acceptable. And so I'd like to thank you all, especially Lalaithe – for many kind words and time spent on reviewing, Kulyok – for creating such a wonderful and detailed mod, Alice – for crying and laughing because of something I wrote, and Code Name Adania – for pointing put first typos (though I still can't figure out how to correct those in a published chapter) and constructive criticism. Thank you!


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